Cargill House
Why it's listed
Built around 1852 for Samuel P. Cargill, a local bookseller and postmaster, this brick house on Rochester Street in Lima is an L-shaped Greek Revival residence. Its two-story, three-bay, side-hall main block has a pedimented gable facing the street and a one-story side wing. Six-over-six windows with limestone lintels, a recessed doorway with sidelights and a transom, and wide plain friezes mark the style. The interior keeps its double parlors, an octagonal-newel staircase, original floors, moldings and mantels, including a late nineteenth-century Queen Anne mantel. Behind the house are a one-and-one-half-story carriage barn, two cut-stone hitching posts and a spring-fed pond. Brick is unusual among Lima's mostly frame houses, and the dwelling is considered one of the area's finest examples of mid-nineteenth century classical design. It is also the only intact house on the east side of its street. The Ionic-columned front porch, added in the early twentieth century, is part of its history.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a distinctive and relatively pure example of Greek Revival domestic architecture in Lima. Its brick construction is rare in a town of mostly frame dwellings. It is described as one of the finest mid-nineteenth century classically inspired buildings in the multiple resource area, and its surviving barn, hitching posts and pond add to its value.
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 89001126, listed August 31, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1839 Rochester St., Lima |
|---|---|
| County | Livingston County |
| Listed | August 31, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001126 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1852 - ca. 1920s |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Private residence in good condition; no threats known. Original use and present use are both residence. |
| Acreage | 1.4 |
| Coordinates | 42.90750, -77.61134 (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 89001126.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5039252
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.