Cobblestone House
Why it's listed
Built around 1840 on a rise overlooking Cazenovia Lake, this cobblestone farmhouse sits on a 3.98-acre lot along Syracuse Road in Madison County, New York. The two-story main block and one-and-one-half-story service wing are made of coursed rounded stones set in mortar, with dressed stone quoins, flat stone lintels and sills, a wide frieze and cornice with returns, and turned Doric columns at the entrance and porch. Inside, original features such as door moldings with rosette corner blocks survive. A frame carriage barn from the late nineteenth century, later converted to a residence, also contributes. The house is notable as the only substantial cobblestone building in Cazenovia apart from a few small farm outbuildings, and as a refined Greek Revival design in a rural area where most farmhouses were simpler. Local tradition credits the Beckwith family with building it. It also illustrates the town's early agricultural prosperity.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an outstanding example of Greek Revival farm architecture and a rare surviving cobblestone building in the town of Cazenovia. It is also one of several early nineteenth-century farmhouses reflecting the town's agricultural prosperity. Its dressed stone quoins, entrance detailing and finely crafted interior woodwork set it apart from simpler rural farmhouses.
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 87001865, listed November 2, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Syracuse Rd., Cazenovia |
|---|---|
| County | Madison County |
| Listed | November 2, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87001865 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect and builder unknown; local tradition says the Beckwith family built the house |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Private residence in fair condition; the carriage house was converted to residential use in the mid-twentieth century. A large non-contributing frame wing was added in 1970. |
| Acreage | 4 |
| Coordinates | 42.94299, -75.88275 (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 87001865.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5138816
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.