Ford's Store
Why it's listed
Built in 1870 in the hamlet of Oak Hill, in the town of Durham, Greene County, this two-story clapboard store is a modest example of Italianate commercial design. It has a stone foundation, a single-slope roof, and a bracketed cornice with a wide frieze. A full-width bracketed porch, hung from the second floor by chains because the building sits so close to Route 81, shelters the storefront. In the mid-twentieth century the original storefront was removed to fit garage doors for auto repair and storage, but its parts were later found intact in the basement and reinstalled in the 1990s. The store went up on the site of an earlier store and harness shop, in a hamlet whose economy rested on iron foundries and related trades. It is one of two intact commercial storefronts surviving in Oak Hill and keeps a high degree of architectural integrity. It is listed for its architecture and its link to the hamlet's commerce.
Significance in brief: It is presented as an intact example of simple, mid-nineteenth century commercial architecture in Oak Hill. It reflects the prosperous commercial activity that once lined the hamlet's Main Street, and it is one of only two intact commercial storefronts left in the community. Its restored storefront retains a high degree of architectural integrity.
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 01001395, listed December 28, 2001. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 7811 NY 81, Durham |
|---|---|
| County | Greene County |
| Listed | December 28, 2001 |
| Reference number | 01001395 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1870 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian/Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently used as an antique shop; the first-floor storefront was restored in the 1990s after mid-twentieth century alterations. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Oak Hill Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.40987, -74.15268 (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 01001395.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5467599
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.