Old Trees
Why it's listed
Old Trees is a 168-acre hillside estate south of Cazenovia village, overlooking the southern end of Cazenovia Lake. Frederick R. Hazard, founder of the Solvay Process Company, bought the land in 1890 as a summer retreat and first built rustic cabins, none of which survive. In 1917 he erected a shingled lodge near the hilltop, along with a carriage house, an equipment barn and a small guest cabin. In 1937 his daughter and her husband decided to live there year-round and hired the Buffalo architects Bley & Lyman to remodel the lodge. The work turned it into a largely Georgian Revival house with white tongue-and-groove siding, dormers, Colonial-style windows and a fanlit entry, while a few rustic features such as shingles and stone chimneys remained. The three early outbuildings keep the original rustic character. The estate is significant as a late example of the summer mansions of the Cazenovia Lake area and for its blend of Adirondack-camp informality with Colonial formality.
Significance in brief: The estate is argued to be a distinctive late example of the large summer residences built near Cazenovia Lake. Its main house combines Craftsman rustic and Georgian Revival styles in two phases, 1917 and 1937. The surviving 1917 outbuildings and most of the original estate lands recall the original rustic design and the area's history as a resort for wealthy urban families.
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 91000865, listed July 15, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | W side of Rippleton Rd., Cazenovia |
|---|---|
| County | Madison County |
| Listed | July 15, 1991 |
| Reference number | 91000865 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1917-1937 |
| Architect / builder | Lymn & Bley (Buffalo, N.Y.) |
| Architectural style | Georgian Revival; Craftsman |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single-family residence; the carriage house is now a private residence and the equipment barn retains its original function. |
| Acreage | 168.2 |
| Coordinates | 42.91853, -75.87383 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 91000865.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7085328
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.