Rolling Ridge Farm
Why it's listed
Rolling Ridge Farm is a 27.69-acre farmstead on Number Nine Road southeast of Cazenovia village. Its centerpiece is a two-story brick farmhouse built about 1837 by Talcott Backus, whose family worked the land for four generations. The house has a gable-end front, a Doric portico, a brick kitchen wing and a louvered lunette in the gable. Inside are Federal style details such as a parlor mantel, turned stair balusters and original pine floors. Two frame barns, a former carriage house now used as gallery space and a dry-laid stone wall complete the historic setting, along with two ponds and mature trees. The property matters because brick was rare and costly in the area in the 1830s, and this house is a refined, late interpretation of the Federal style. Few Cazenovia farms keep so much of their original land or such a full set of outbuildings.
Significance in brief: The farmhouse is a representative, late example of Federal style farm architecture and a rare rural use of brick in Cazenovia. Its interior is remarkably intact and finely crafted. The farm also keeps two barns, a former carriage house and a large part of its original acreage, which is unusual in a town where most farms have been subdivided.
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 87001873, listed November 2, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 3937 Number Nine Rd., Cazenovia |
|---|---|
| County | Madison County |
| Listed | November 2, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87001873 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Talcott Backus (built the original farmhouse, per the form) |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Private residence in good condition; the former carriage house has been converted to gallery space. |
| Acreage | 27.7 |
| Coordinates | 42.91288, -75.84541 (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 87001873.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7361204
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.