Richardson, Thomas, House
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Overlooking the Mohawk River and the Barge Canal in Ilion, this brick mansion at 317 West Main Street was built in 1873 for Thomas Richardson, an English-born attorney who served E. Remington & Sons from 1867 to 1886. The two-story house has a hipped roof, projecting bays, an engaged tower with a mansard roof and iron cresting, carved stone lintels and sills, and a patterned slate roof. Inside, black walnut, cherry and chestnut woodwork, eight marble mantels and a bathroom tiled with imported porcelain remain largely intact. The architect is unknown. A frame carriage house and a landscaped four-acre hillside, planted with exotic trees and shrubs that Richardson helped choose, survive as well. The house is regarded as one of the region's finest High Victorian Italianate residences. His children also became local figures: Jennie Richardson was the area's first woman doctor and helped found the Ilion Hospital, and Carrie Richardson helped develop the Ilion Library.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is an outstanding example of a High Victorian Italianate mansion in central New York, retaining many original decorative elements and showing the craftsmanship and materials of the late nineteenth century. It also reflects the prosperity of the Mohawk Valley and the prominence of the Richardson family in Ilion.
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 84002400, listed September 7, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 317 W. Main St., Ilion |
|---|---|
| County | Herkimer County |
| Listed | September 7, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002400 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | High Victorian Italianate |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied as a private residence; the form reports no major alterations to interior or exterior and says the original landscaping and carriage house survive. |
| Acreage | 4.4 |
| Coordinates | 43.01969, -75.04734 (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 84002400.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7793529
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.