Little Falls Historic District
Why it's listed
Little Falls Historic District covers roughly twenty blocks at the center of the city of Little Falls, in the Mohawk River Valley. It includes 386 buildings, mostly private homes along with commercial and civic structures, built from the early 1800s to the early 1900s. Main Street holds a continuous row of mostly three-story brick Italianate shops, while residential streets to the north surround two public parks, West Park (given to residents in 1832) and East Park (donated in the mid-1830s). The surrounding houses show Federal, Greek Revival, Italianate, Second Empire, Queen Anne, Colonial Revival and Craftsman designs. Civic landmarks include the public library, housed in a Second Empire residence, and the Tudor Revival former Masonic Temple of 1914. The district's growth followed the Erie Canal's opening in 1825 and the end of the Ellice Proprietorship in 1831. Many homes belonged to industrialists whose businesses relied on the river and transportation routes. Its boundaries follow the area where historic character remains intact.
Significance in brief: The district preserves the intact commercial and residential core of Little Falls as it grew after the Erie Canal opened in 1825 and the Ellice Proprietorship ended in 1831. Its houses, shops and civic buildings were largely tied to the industrialists and entrepreneurs who depended on the Mohawk River and its transportation systems. The form states that it keeps a high level of architectural integrity and shows a wide range of 19th-century styles.
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 12000013, listed February 8, 2012. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by W. Monroe, W. Gansevoort, Prospect, Garden, E. Main, N. William, & Looms St., Little Falls |
|---|---|
| County | Herkimer County |
| Listed | February 8, 2012 |
| Reference number | 12000013 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | William Neil Smith of New York City (former Masonic Temple, 1914) |
| Architectural style | Federal, Greek Revival, Italianate, Tuscan Villa, Second Empire, Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, Classical Revival, Tudor Revival, Bungalow/Craftsman |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce, Community Planning and Development |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Mixed continuing use: residences, shops, restaurants, a library, schools, churches and parks remain in their historic functions. |
| Acreage | 91.2 |
| Coordinates | 13.88072, -75.94995 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 12000013.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6649975
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.