Duvillard Mill
Also known as: Bldg. #16
Why it's listed
Rising four and a half stories beside the St. Lawrence River in Cape Vincent, this limestone building was constructed in 1856 by Antoine Duvillard to house a steam-powered grist mill. Its walls are uncoursed rubble, and the main block is five bays wide and six long under a gable roof. A wood porch and ornate gable details in the Stick style were probably added in the late nineteenth century, after George Bartlett turned the building into a shingle and planing mill. In 1895 the U.S. Government bought it for a fishery station, and in 1906 alone the station stocked over thirty-eight million fish in the river. The state took ownership in 1965, and the building now serves as a research station and aquarium. It is considered Cape Vincent's only intact limestone industrial building, and it keeps original oak stairs, hand-hewn timbers and a historic U-shaped dock.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as Cape Vincent's only intact limestone industrial building, recalling a short-lived period of mid-nineteenth-century industrial development. It is a representative example of the local stone vernacular tradition, distinguished by its size, industrial function and Stick style ornament. It also retains a high level of architectural integrity and later served as a U.S. fishery station.
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 85002461, listed September 27, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Broadway, Cape Vincent |
|---|---|
| County | Jefferson County |
| Listed | September 27, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85002461 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect: Unknown; Builder: Unknown (built in 1856 by Antoine Duvillard to house a grist mill) |
| Architectural style | Stick style decoration on a local vernacular limestone industrial building |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as excellent; currently operated by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation as a research station and aquarium/museum, open to visitors during business hours. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 44.13025, -76.33140 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 85002461.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5317631
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.