Sackets Harbor Village Historic District
Also known as: 0116732114; 052572767
Why it's listed
Sackets Harbor Village Historic District covers the central core of a small lakeside village on Black River Bay in Jefferson County, New York. It holds 156 buildings on 71 acres, set on limestone cliffs above a natural deep-water harbor. The village grew from a settlement of 1801 into a strategic military base and shipping port, with an Army post from 1812 to 1946. It never developed a large commercial or industrial base, and the wide, tree-lined streets and spacious nineteenth-century homes reflect that residential history. Nearly thirty percent of the buildings show Greek Revival influence, and several are outstanding Federal houses. Notable examples include the Augustus Sacket House of 1802-1803, used as headquarters and a hospital in the War of 1812, the limestone George Tisdale House, the brick Cup and Saucer House, an 1818 limestone mill, and Christ Episcopal Church, whose present building dates from 1832. Only thirteen intrusions break the early character of the district.
Significance in brief: The district preserves the early character and scale of a former military base and shipping port, with fine Federal and Greek Revival buildings. Its houses and sites are tied to the War of 1812 and to the village's founders and early settlers. Few buildings were added after the railroad era, so the nineteenth-century layout survives.
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 83001683, listed September 15, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Main, Washington, Pike, Edmund, Hill, Hamilton, Broad, and Ambrose Sts., Sackets Harbor |
|---|---|
| County | Jefferson County |
| Listed | September 15, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83001683 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | Augustus Sacket (Sacket House); Elisha Camp (the Mill); Dennis Brooks (Brooks House); Captain Augustus Pickering (shipbuilder, house at 503 West Main) |
| Architectural style | Predominantly Greek Revival and Federal, with Italianate, Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, Bungalow and vernacular buildings |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Military, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as a largely intact residential village of 990 people with only thirteen scattered intrusions; the Sacket House was being rehabilitated as a visitor center. |
| Acreage | 71 |
| Coordinates | 43.94608, -76.12129 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 83001683.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7396819
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.