Peterboro Street Elementary School
Why it's listed
Peterboro Street Elementary School is a two-and-a-half-story brick and concrete building on an eight-acre lot at 220 North Peterboro Street in Canastota. Completed around 1927 as the village high school at a cost of $200,000, it was designed by Syracuse architect Earl Hallenbeck and built by Valentine and Purchase of Syracuse. Its symmetrical front facade has a projecting central pavilion with tall concrete engaged columns, Gothic-arched openings, concrete quoins and a brick parapet. Such Collegiate Gothic detailing was unusual for schools of the period, which were more often Colonial Revival. Hallenbeck also designed high schools in Liverpool, Cazenovia and Fabius and taught architecture at Syracuse University. The school reflects Canastota's growth as a regional agricultural center known for onions. After a new high school opened in 1965, the building became an elementary school. Interior walls were removed in the 1970s, though original staircases, woodwork, trophy cases and a memorial window survive.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the school is a distinctive example of early twentieth century school architecture in Canastota, with restrained Collegiate Gothic features at a time when most schools were designed in the Colonial Revival style. It is also an example of the work of Earl Hallenbeck, a prominent Syracuse architect and university professor. It reflects a period of prosperity and growth in Canastota and remains a local landmark in the history of education.
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 86001304, listed May 23, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 220 N. Peterboro St., Canastota |
|---|---|
| County | Madison County |
| Listed | May 23, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86001304 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect: Earl Hallenbeck, Syracuse; Builder: Valentine and Purchase, Incs, Syracuse |
| Architectural style | Collegiate Gothic |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition rated good; in use as an elementary school since the mid-1960s, when a larger high school was built on Roberts Street. Interior remodeled in the early 1970s into open classrooms. |
| Acreage | 8 |
| Coordinates | 43.08181, -75.74973 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 86001304.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7177986
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.