DePuy, William, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1851, this one and one-half story frame house on Genesee Street in Lima, New York, is a small middle-class dwelling in vernacular Greek Revival style. Its gable end faces the street, with a low-pitched roof, exaggerated returns, wide corner pilasters, a wide entablature with frieze windows, and a porch on fluted Doric columns. Fine details include tiny wood guttae, cast-iron window grilles and Tudor-inspired label molds over the windows. Those molds are believed to be the mark of master builder William Harmon, who built his own house nearby. The house was built for William H. DePuy, an English teacher and later principal of the Teacher's Department at Genesee Wesleyan Seminary. It is considered important because Greek Revival design arrived late in Lima, and this house shows the style combined with mid-century Romantic influence. The interior retains its room layout, shouldered door and window trim, paneled doors and a corner parlor fireplace. A later rear wing and a modern concrete block garage complete the property.
Significance in brief: It is argued to be a representative example of vernacular Greek Revival domestic architecture in Lima, with a high degree of integrity in design, materials and craftsmanship. Its Tudor-inspired window label molds are attributed by local tradition to master builder William Harmon, showing Romantic taste entering the local classical vocabulary.
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 89001127, listed August 31, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1825 Genesee St., Lima |
|---|---|
| County | Livingston County |
| Listed | August 31, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001127 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1851 |
| Architect / builder | Architect and builder unknown; local tradition attributes construction to master craftsman William Harmon |
| Architectural style | Vernacular Greek Revival with Gothic-inspired features |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Private residence in good condition; original site; no threats known. The interior of the main block survives with a high degree of integrity. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.90762, -77.61368 (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 89001127.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8007698
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.