Holland Land Office
Also known as: Holland Land Office Museum
Why it's listed
Built in 1815 on the north bank of Tonawanda Creek in Batavia, New York, this limestone building served as the third and last American office of the Holland Land Company. Joseph Ellicott, the company's agent on site, oversaw its construction. The structure measures 47 by 36 feet and has a pedimented portico with four stone pillars, a fanlight doorway, two dormers on each side of the gable roof and fanlights in the gable ends. The company, formed in 1796 by six Dutch banking houses, held millions of acres in western New York and northwestern Pennsylvania. From Batavia, Ellicott laid out roads, divided townships into lots, contracted sales, collected installments and granted deeds and mortgages. The company's operations continued until about 1856. The building later became a county museum. Two rear additions, one from the 1940s and one from 1970, are the main alterations; the original building keeps much of its early appearance.
Significance in brief: The building was the final American office of the Holland Land Company, a Dutch-financed enterprise that surveyed and sold lands across western New York and northwestern Pennsylvania. Through this office Joseph Ellicott directed surveying, road layout, land sales and credit, and the company's work played a major role in settling the northern frontier east of the Great Lakes.
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 66000521, listed October 15, 1966. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | W. Main St., Batavia |
|---|---|
| County | Genesee County |
| Listed | October 15, 1966 |
| Reference number | 66000521 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Joseph Ellicott |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated October 9, 1960 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in use as a Genesee County museum; later additions at the rear (1940s and 1970) are not considered contributory. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.99922, -78.19078 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 66000521.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5881001
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.