Paddock Arcade
Also known as: The Arcade
Why it's listed
Paddock Arcade is a four-story brick commercial building at the west end of Watertown's Public Square. From the street it resembles a typical mid-nineteenth-century block, with a Gothic cornice and window hoods, but behind the facade runs a 174-foot vaulted gallery lined with shops. Merchant and banker Loveland Paddock had it built after a fire destroyed his earlier block in 1849; Chicago architect Otis Wheelock designed it, and it opened in 1851. Early tenants included the post office, a cafe, a newspaper office, telegraph and telephone offices, photographers, and various professionals. The building was sold in 1876 to Emma Keep Schley and later passed to the Henry Keep Home Association, which carried out major renovations in 1922-23. Half of the original building was demolished around 1916. Its sheltered promenade suits the region's snowy winters. It is valued as a rare surviving shopping arcade and a continuing downtown commercial and social hub.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it a rare example of a nineteenth-century shopping arcade that has remained an important commercial and social center for 125 years. Its Gothic facade is one of the few remnants of Watertown's mid-nineteenth-century Gothic Public Square. Despite major alterations in 1922-23, the character of the enclosed, shop-lined promenade has been preserved.
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 76001224, listed June 15, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Washington St. between Arsenal and Store Sts., Watertown |
|---|---|
| County | Jefferson County |
| Listed | June 15, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001224 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1850-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Otis L. Wheelock |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival with Italianate elements |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied, in good condition; still houses shops and offices on the first and second floors, while the third floor is no longer occupied. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Public Square Historic District |
| Coordinates | 43.97458, -75.91099 (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 76001224.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7123361
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.