Balloon Farm
Why it's listed
Balloon Farm is a three-story frame mansion on the northwest edge of Frankfort, Herkimer County, built in 1878 for match manufacturer Frederick Gates. It sits on a stone foundation and has a tall Mansard roof, wraparound porches with Eastlake fretwork, and cherry wood interior trim in the first-floor parlors. In 1889 Carl Myers bought the house and turned it into an aeronautical workshop. He made balloons on the third floor, developed a varnishing process for balloon fabric and a portable hydrogen generator, and tested balloons on the lawns, which gave the property its nickname. His wife Mary performed as "Carlotta, the Lady Aeronaut" at fairs across New York. The State of New York bought the house in 1919 and used it as a women's group residence, which removed many interior features. Sold at auction in 1994, it is being rehabilitated as a bed-and-breakfast. The listing recognizes both its architecture and its link to early ballooning.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is significant under Criterion A for its association with aeronauts Carl and Mary Myers, who ran a balloon-making and flight-experiment operation there from 1889 and contributed to early American aeronautics. It is significant under Criterion C as an ornate High Victorian eclectic mansion with Eastlake detailing and a Mansard roof. It is also described as a local architectural landmark.
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 98000391, listed April 23, 1998. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 128 Cemetery Rd., Frankfort |
|---|---|
| County | Herkimer County |
| Listed | April 23, 1998 |
| Reference number | 98000391 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1878-1919 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian/Eclectic (described in the text as High Victorian eclectic) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Back in private ownership since a 1994 auction and being gradually rehabilitated for use as a bed-and-breakfast inn. |
| Acreage | 1.7 |
| Coordinates | 43.04053, -75.07876 (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 98000391.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4851853
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.