Ormonde
Why it's listed
Ormonde is a lakeside summer estate on the east shore of Cazenovia Lake in Madison County, New York. Its thirty-five room main house, designed in 1885 and completed in 1888 for Philadelphia businessman George R. Preston, joins a new shingled mass to an early nineteenth century farmhouse. Wide eaves with oversized scroll brackets, multiple roof planes, Tuscan-columned porches and diamond-paned casements give it a picturesque, horizontal profile, and much of the interior survives intact. A two-story boathouse with a circular upper porch stands on the shore. The design is attributed to the Philadelphia architect Frank Furness, whose work outside his home region is uncommon. Ormonde was among the first three large estates on this shore, and it influenced later Cazenovia estates that blended Colonial Revival, Shingle and Arts and Crafts styles. It reflects the town's shift from an agricultural village to a summer resort for wealthy urban families. Much of the original 300-acre grounds was subdivided after 1959.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues Ormonde is an outstanding early example of the large summer mansions built near Cazenovia Lake by wealthy clients in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It is also attributed to the Philadelphia architect Frank Furness, as shown by its oversized scroll brackets. It was one of the first three large estates on the lake's east shore and helped set the architectural standard for later estates there.
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 91000866, listed July 15, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Between E. Lake Rd. and Ormonde Dr., Cazenovia |
|---|---|
| County | Madison County |
| Listed | July 15, 1991 |
| Reference number | 91000866 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1885-1920 |
| Architect / builder | Frank Furness |
| Architectural style | Shingle Style, Colonial Revival, Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Main house and boathouse survive with high integrity; the estate is now a 2.39-acre lot, and the farmhouse wing is kept as a separate dwelling unit. Current functions are listed as single dwelling and outdoor recreation. |
| Acreage | 2.4 |
| Coordinates | 42.95549, -75.86111 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 91000866.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7103460
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.