Zuidema-Idsardi House
Why it's listed
Built around 1876 at 5556 Broadway in Lancaster, New York, this two-story wood-frame house combines Italianate form with Eastlake-style ornament. It has a T-shaped facade, weatherboard siding, a rubble stone foundation, and a truncated hipped roof with paired brackets under the eaves. A wraparound porch with turned posts, sawn fan brackets and a swag-like balustrade adds decoration. Inside, the original stair hall, mahogany handrail, pocket doors, plaster ceiling ornament and marble mantels survive. A period board-and-batten barn stands at the rear. John H. Zuidema, a Dutch immigrant who came to the area in 1849, had the house built after leaving his farm for the village; he lived there until his death in 1879. Tjeerd Idsardi, another Dutch settler, later acquired it. The house was listed as an intact local example of upper middle-class Victorian residential architecture in the village.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be an intact, locally significant and distinctive example of Italianate residential design with Eastlake ornamentation. It typifies the upper middle-class homes built in the village in the last quarter of the nineteenth century. It also reflects the Dutch settlers who shaped Lancaster's architectural and socioeconomic heritage.
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 99001416, listed November 30, 1999. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 5556 Broadway, Lancaster |
|---|---|
| County | Erie County |
| Listed | November 30, 1999 |
| Reference number | 99001416 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1876-1949 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian: Stick/Eastlake and Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling, as in its historic use; the form says it retains high integrity of design. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.89847, -78.66211 (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 99001416.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8075058
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.