LeRay, Vincent, House
Also known as: The Stone House; See Also:Broadway Historic District
Why it's listed
Overlooking the St. Lawrence River at the edge of Cape Vincent's Broadway, this two-and-a-half-story limestone house was built around 1815 for Vincent LeRay. He served as land agent for his father, James LeRay, whose family had come from France to develop large holdings in northern New York. The house was the first stone dwelling in the village and faces a landscaped lawn running down to the river. Its five-bay north and south facades, hipped roof, balustrade, central dormers and splayed limestone arches over doors and windows give it a symmetrical, restrained look. Inside, arched doorways line a broad central hall, and the kitchen remains in the basement with a dumbwaiter to the pantry. The only recorded alteration was the addition of bathrooms in the 1920s. Vincent LeRay soon returned to the family seat, and the house stood vacant until 1837, when the Peugnet brothers, French émigrés, bought it. It stayed in their family into the twentieth century. Outbuildings include a boathouse, cottage and garage.
Significance in brief: It is presented as an elegant example of domestic architecture reflecting a French aristocratic family's settlement of northern New York. It was built for Vincent LeRay, land agent and son of James LeRay, and was the first stone house in the village. It is described as a monument to three generations of French commitment to America's independence and development.
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 73001195, listed November 15, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Broadway (NY 12E), Cape Vincent |
|---|---|
| County | Jefferson County |
| Listed | November 15, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001195 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (c. 1815) |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is marked excellent and unaltered on its original site; it is occupied as a private residence. |
| Acreage | 4 |
| Coordinates | 44.12544, -76.34254 (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 73001195.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7931903
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.