Geiger, Elias H., House
Also known as: Geiger--Weidman House
Why it's listed
This farmhouse on Geiger Road in the Town of Ossian, Livingston County, was built in 1866 or 1867 by Elias H. Geiger, a master carpenter, lumberman and businessman who operated several steam sawmills in the area. The two-story wood house has a forty-foot-square main block, a shallow hipped roof with large brackets, a bracketed front veranda and a central projecting pavilion with cornice returns. Inside, a through central hall holds an open stair with a turned newel post and balusters, and the rooms retain heavy Italianate mouldings and cast brass hardware. A rear wing appears to predate the main block. The property covers 182.6 acres of the original 232 and includes two barns built in 1937 after fire destroyed the original barn, plus a 1988 sawmill that does not contribute to its historic character. The house was listed as a largely intact Italianate residence and a reminder of Ossian's nineteenth-century prosperity.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a largely intact and distinctive example of Italianate residential architecture in Ossian. It reflects Geiger's success as a builder and lumber merchant and recalls the town's nineteenth-century prosperity in agricultural and forest products. The surviving barns and farmland add to the local significance of the agricultural complex.
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 06000267, listed April 12, 2006. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 10693 Geiger Rd., Dansville |
|---|---|
| County | Livingston County |
| Listed | April 12, 2006 |
| Reference number | 06000267 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1867-1937 |
| Architect / builder | Elias H. Geiger |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling; the interior is largely intact, with a modernized kitchen and a fireplace added to the southeast parlor in the late twentieth century. |
| Acreage | 182.6 |
| Coordinates | 42.51766, -77.72655 (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 06000267.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5360515
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.