Lake Street Historic District
Why it's listed
Lake Street in the Village of Bergen, Genesee County, holds a compact row of eleven brick commercial buildings dating from 1880 to 1921. Seven are Romanesque Revival structures raised after an 1880 fire destroyed the frame business core, and four reflect early twentieth century vernacular commercial design. Corbelled brick cornices, arched window heads in stone or cast iron, and cast-iron storefronts give the block a uniform look. The Tulley Block, built in 1886, is the most elaborate, with a pedimented parapet, ball-shaped finials and a cast-iron balustrade on a bay window. Other buildings housed a bank, drugstores, a tailor, a grocery, a social hall and a Masonic Temple. Bergen's commercial activity peaked in this period before decline set in during the late 1920s and the Depression. Urban renewal later cleared most of the east side of the street, leaving this west-side block as the only intact remnant of the village's late nineteenth century commercial center.
Significance in brief: The district is argued to be the only intact, surviving one-block section of Bergen's late nineteenth century commercial core. Its buildings, mostly Romanesque Revival, were built after the 1880 fire during the period of the village's commercial peak. It also retains an unusually large number of intact cast-iron storefronts and is an excellent example of a small agricultural community's service center in western New York.
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 85001953, listed September 5, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 10 and 12 S. Lake St. & 11--27 N. Lake St., Village of Bergen |
|---|---|
| County | Genesee County |
| Listed | September 5, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85001953 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1880-1921 |
| Architectural style | Romanesque Revival and early twentieth century vernacular Commercial style |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good to fair condition with some altered storefronts; several storefronts are boarded up, and the Masonic Temple still serves as a Masonic Lodge. |
| Acreage | 2.3 |
| Coordinates | 43.08540, -77.94229 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 85001953.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6477861
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.