Herkimer House
Why it's listed
Herkimer House is a two-story brick residence on the Mohawk River, about three miles east of Little Falls, New York. Nicholas Herkimer built it in the 1750s. He later became a Brigadier General in the Tryon County Militia and, although wounded in the leg during an ambush at Oriskany on August 6, 1777, rallied his men to hold the field. He died ten days later, and the house passed to his brother George. When the Erie Canal was built in the 1820s, the house became a canal tavern and was extensively remodeled in the Greek Revival style. After canal travel declined, it was neglected, and a fire in 1908 destroyed part of it. New York State bought the property in 1913 as a historic site and carried out a first restoration in 1914-15. Major alterations from 1960 to 1967 sought to return the house to its appearance in Herkimer's day. It is now a museum in excellent condition.
Significance in brief: It was the home of Nicholas Herkimer, Brigadier General of the Tryon County Militia, who rallied his men after being wounded at the ambush at Oriskany in 1777. The house later served as a canal tavern after the Erie Canal was built, was remodeled in the Greek Revival style, and was bought by New York State in 1913 as a historic site. The form marks significance in architecture and military history across the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.
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 71000539, listed February 12, 1971. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Near NY 5 S., Danube |
|---|---|
| County | Herkimer County |
| Listed | February 12, 1971 |
| Reference number | 71000539 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Nicholas Herkimer (1728-1777) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival (1820s remodeling of an earlier house) |
| Areas of significance | Military, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in excellent condition and altered; owned by the State of New York, occupied, and used as a museum. Restoration work between 1960 and 1967 attempted to return it to its appearance in General Herkimer's day. |
| Acreage | 160 |
| Coordinates | 43.02801, -74.81401 (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 71000539.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5739262
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.