Sommers, John P. House
Why it's listed
Built in 1906 at 33 Lake Avenue in Lancaster, New York, this two-and-one-half-story wood-frame house was commissioned by John P. Sommers, a local electrician, businessman and former deputy sheriff and town clerk. It follows the Queen Anne style, with a five-sided corner tower, a full-width front porch, clapboard walls, shingled gable ends, ornate dormers and a large Palladian window on the south side. Inside, a central hall organizes rooms linked by pocket doors, and dark stained woodwork, original paneled doors and brass hardware survive. Sommers sold the house to his sister in 1908 and his family continued to rent it. Later owners covered the exterior in aluminum siding, which was removed in a restoration that revealed the original clapboards and shingles. A garage on the lot was built after the period of significance. The house was listed for its architecture as a well-preserved local example of the style.
Significance in brief: The house is significant under Criterion C in architecture as an example of Queen Anne residential design in the Village of Lancaster. It displays hallmark features of the style, including a corner tower, full-width porch, clapboard walls with shingled gable ends, and a Palladian window. It also retains much of its original interior woodwork and layout.
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 11000998, listed January 4, 2012. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 33 Lake Ave., Lancaster |
|---|---|
| County | Erie County |
| Listed | January 4, 2012 |
| Reference number | 11000998 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1906 |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Remains a private single-family residence; the exterior was restored after aluminum siding and a metal porch balustrade were removed. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.90017, -78.66820 (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 11000998.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6251709
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.