Camp, Elisha, House
Also known as: Camp Manor
Why it's listed
Overlooking Black River Bay and Lake Ontario at Sackets Harbor, this two-and-one-half-story red brick house was built between about 1808 and 1815 for Elisha Camp, a land agent who arrived in the village in 1804. The War of 1812 prolonged construction. Its design is attributed to Barnabus Waterman, an architect-builder from Hudson, New York. The main facade is laid in Flemish bond and has five bays, a granite-stepped entrance under an elliptical relieving arch, and a Palladian window above. Stepped gables may reflect the Hudson Valley origins of its builder. Inside, a central hall, delicate Adamesque woodwork and a wallpaper titled "Scene on the Bosphorus," designed in 1816 by Joseph Dufour, survive. Camp commanded artillery in the 1812 Battle of Sackets Harbor and became a banker, shipper and civic leader. His descendants have owned the house continuously, so many original furnishings remain, and later changes to the interior and rear wing have been modest.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as a well-preserved, refined example of Federal-period residential architecture on a frontier port. Its design is attributed to Barnabus Waterman, an architect-builder from Hudson, New York. It has been owned continuously by the descendants of Elisha Camp, a land agent, banker and civic leader, so it retains most of its original furnishings.
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 73001196, listed April 23, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 310 General Smith Dr., Sackets Harbor |
|---|---|
| County | Jefferson County |
| Listed | April 23, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001196 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1808-1815 |
| Architect / builder | Attributed to Barnabus Waterman (1776-1839), architect-builder of Hudson, New York; built for Elisha Camp |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Excellent condition; occupied as a private residence; on its original site. |
| Acreage | 7 |
| Within district | Sackets Harbor Village Historic District |
| Coordinates | 43.94879, -76.11772 (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 73001196.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5361740
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.