Reynolds, George, House
Also known as: Bldg. #6
Why it's listed
Built between 1837 and 1843 by George Reynolds, this one and one-half story limestone house sits on the St. Lawrence River east of Cape Vincent village. It has a gable roof, five bays across the front, and walls of irregularly coursed rubble limestone with a water table of square-cut blocks and rustic quoins. Six-over-six sash windows, flat-arched limestone lintels and a small frieze window above the central door reflect the Greek Revival taste of the period. A wood porch was added in the late 1920s, and a frame carriage house, now a garage, stands behind the house. Reynolds bought the land from Vincent LeRay in 1837 and sold it in 1843. The house stood vacant for a time during Prohibition, and local legend says rum runners stored contraband there. Dr. William and Elsie Hall bought it in 1929, restored it and laid out the landscaping. It is considered one of the ten best surviving examples of local vernacular masonry building in the area.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be an intact, representative example of the vernacular masonry residential architecture of the early to mid-nineteenth century in the region. It is one of the ten best surviving examples in the Cape Vincent multiple resource area, with local limestone, a gable roof and a five-bay facade with central entry. Its six-over-six windows and frieze window show Greek Revival influence, and the early twentieth-century garage contributes to its significance.
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 85002470, listed September 27, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | River Rd., Cape Vincent |
|---|---|
| County | Jefferson County |
| Listed | September 27, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85002470 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; builder George Reynolds |
| Architectural style | Vernacular masonry with Greek Revival influence |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently used as a residence; condition listed as excellent; no threats known. It was vacant for a time during Prohibition before being restored around 1929. |
| Acreage | 1.4 |
| Coordinates | 44.16383, -76.26011 (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 85002470.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5543829
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.