Genesee County Courthouse
Why it's listed
Set on a triangular lot where Main and Ellicott Streets meet, the Genesee County Courthouse dominates the western approach to Batavia's business section. Built between 1841 and 1843, the square limestone building has five bays on each facade, a slate and copper hip roof, and a white wooden cupola holding a brass bell. The stone came from nearby LeRoy, with pillars and capitals from Lockport, making it a product of local craftsmanship and materials. Work began the year Wyoming County was created, which restored Batavia's central position in the much-reduced Genesee County. Its design consolidated the style of the earlier wooden courthouse designed by John Ellicott of the Holland Land Company. The first court sat there in February 1843. Alterations have been functional: interior changes and fireproofing in 1862, and in 1931 most of the front porch was enclosed for offices and the courtroom was rearranged. The building remains a working courthouse and anchors a group of architecturally distinguished neighboring buildings.
Significance in brief: The courthouse is an architectural focal point in downtown Batavia and has played an integral part in the area's history since 1841. It was built of local craftsmanship and materials, including limestone from LeRoy. It has been maintained as a courthouse with only functional alterations.
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 73001193, listed June 18, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Main and Ellicott Sts., Batavia |
|---|---|
| County | Genesee County |
| Listed | June 18, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001193 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1841-3 (19th Century) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition rated good and altered; still maintained and used as a courthouse, occupied, with government use. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Genesee County Courthouse Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.99781, -78.18692 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 73001193.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5532719
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.