Bates, Cyrus, House
Also known as: Oliver Bates House; T.O. Whitney House
Why it's listed
Built around 1820 on the west side of NY Route 3 in Henderson, this limestone house is a 1-1/2 story, five-by-three bay building with a one-story kitchen wing. Its walls are two feet thick, laid in random rock-faced ashlar of locally quarried stone, and details include flat stone lintels and sills, quoins, and an elliptical arch with keystone over the entry. Inside, large oak logs joined with wooden hooks support the structure. The house was the center of a large farm and dairy operation until the mid-1940s. It was built by members of the Bates family, early settlers of Henderson, though whether Cyrus or his father Oliver led construction remains uncertain. The house is also associated with Orson Pratt, a Mormon apostle who married Sarah Marinda Bates there in 1836. It was listed for its architecture and its role in the area's settlement, and it remains a residence with much original fabric intact.
Significance in brief: The house is significant in Architecture and Settlement as a well-preserved example of modest Federal period residential design and early 19th century masonry construction in Jefferson County. It was built by one of Henderson's earliest families. It is also linked to Mormon apostle Orson Pratt, who married Sarah Marinda Bates there in 1836, though Criterion B was not claimed.
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 04000710, listed July 14, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 7185 NY 3, Henderson |
|---|---|
| County | Jefferson County |
| Listed | July 14, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04000710 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c.1820 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Exploration/Settlement |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a residence; the farm barns and outbuildings have been lost to fire or age, leaving the house and some foundations on a roughly 2.1-acre parcel. |
| Acreage | 2.9 |
| Coordinates | 43.82451, -76.20189 (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 04000710.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5201070
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.