Black and White Farm Barn
Why it's listed
Built in 1884 for Joseph Cone, an absentee farmer and Geneseo merchant, this enormous wood-frame barn sits on a hillside near Sonyea overlooking the Groveland Flats. It measures about 160 feet across the front and 200 feet deep, with four sides enclosing an open central yard sheltered from winter winds. Inside, a continuous 15-foot-wide wagon alley loops through the hayloft so wagons can turn without reversing, and trusses at the corners replace columns that would block the turns. Louvred roof monitors and cupolas ventilate the hay, while light post-and-beam framing saved material. Decoration is modest, limited to diagonally planked doors and saw-tooth gable sheathing. The farm later became known as the Black and White Farm after the Ross family, who bought it in 1918 and stocked it with black and white animals. The barn is valued for its scale, its experimental design tied to progressive agriculture, and its continued use as a dairy barn.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the barn is architecturally and historically significant as an unusually large example of a nineteenth-century agricultural building with innovative features. These include a U-shaped hay wagon alley, a protected inner yard, continuous louvred roof monitors and light-member framing. It is one of New York's largest nineteenth-century barns and reflects progressive agriculture and the profitability of farming in the Genesee Valley.
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 88000031, listed February 8, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 7420 Dansville--Mt. Morris Rd., NY 36, Sonyea |
|---|---|
| County | Livingston County |
| Listed | February 8, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000031 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Joseph Cone |
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Retains a high degree of integrity and remains in use on an active dairy farm; condition marked fair. |
| Acreage | 8 |
| Coordinates | 42.66611, -77.80803 (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 88000031.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4922235
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.