Richardson, John, House
Why it's listed
This brick house at 5653 Broadway in Lancaster, Erie County, New York, began around 1840 as a rectangular story-and-a-half cottage. In 1868 a two-story wing facing Broadway was added, and a compatible shed-roofed addition was built at the rear late in the twentieth century. The walls are unpainted common-bond brick on a stone foundation, with segmental-arched windows, brick voussoirs, louvered shutters and a wooden front porch. A one-and-a-half-story clapboard barn survives on the lot. John Richardson, a local brickmaker and builder, built the house. His five-acre brickyard stood behind it, and many early brick homes and commercial buildings in the village are said to have used his bricks. He also built the Richardson Block on Main Street and lived here until his death in 1878. The house is valued as an intact local example of vernacular Italianate design. Its interior has been converted to a combined residence and office.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an intact, locally significant example of vernacular Italianate residential design in this western New York village. It was built in three stages beginning c. 1840 and retains a high degree of architectural integrity. It is also tied to John Richardson, a local brickmaker and builder who erected many early brick homes in the village.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 99001419, listed November 30, 1999. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 5653 Broadway, Lancaster |
|---|---|
| County | Erie County |
| Listed | November 30, 1999 |
| Reference number | 99001419 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1840-1949 |
| Architect / builder | Richardson, John |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian/Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Historic single dwelling now used as a combined residence and office; the interior has been converted from its original single-family use. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.89667, -78.65789 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 99001419.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14706685
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.