Borland, John, House
Also known as: Bldg. #2
Why it's listed
Built between 1818 and 1828 by John Borland on land bought from Vincent LeRay, this small frame house stands at the corner of Market and Joseph Streets in Cape Vincent. It has one and one-half stories, five bays, a gable roof, a central Federal style doorway and a front porch. The facade is covered in flush horizontal boards, while the other walls have narrow clapboards. A Greek Revival style wing, probably added in the mid-nineteenth century, and porch brackets added late in the century reflect changing tastes during its long use as a residence. Its modest scale suggests the economy needed in a frontier village that had only eleven houses in 1815, while its restrained details point to growing trade. Later owners included George Bartlett, a Town Supervisor, and Stuyvesant Fish, who gave the house to the village in 1937. Known as Community House, it still serves as a community center.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is an intact example of the local vernacular house type and a rare surviving building from Cape Vincent's settlement period. Its restrained Federal details suggest a measure of prosperity from the new Watertown road and the growing port trade. Later owners included a Town Supervisor and a prominent New York broker who donated it to the village.
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 85002453, listed September 27, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Market St., Cape Vincent |
|---|---|
| County | Jefferson County |
| Listed | September 27, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85002453 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Built by John Borland (architect and builder listed as unknown on the inventory form) |
| Architectural style | Vernacular with Federal details and a Greek Revival side wing |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a museum, meeting hall and community center (Community House); condition rated good, with no known threats. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 44.12659, -76.33632 (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 85002453.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6222490
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.