Bush, Horace and Grace, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1821 by Horace and Grace Bush, this frame house on Five Mile Line Road in Penfield, Monroe County, is a two-story, five-bay Federal style dwelling with a center entrance and side-gable roof. Wings added by about 1850 carry Greek Revival details such as Doric piers, pilasters and cornice returns. The main block uses post and beam construction, and its interior retains an original open stair, wide-plank oak floors and finely crafted mantels. In 1931 the house was saved from demolition, divided into two sections and moved less than a mile to its present lot, where it has remained unaltered. It is attributed to Calvin Owen, a local millwright and carpenter. Only six pre-1830 Federal period dwellings survive in Penfield, and most have been heavily altered, which makes this intact example notable. Grace Bush was a sister-in-law of town founder Daniel Penfield.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a distinctive, highly intact example of vernacular Federal period residential architecture in western New York and one of a handful of surviving settlement-period houses in Penfield. It retains original post and beam framing, rough-hewn joists and precise window elements, and is attributed to local millwright and carpenter Calvin Owen. It also reflects the rural prosperity that followed the migration of New Englanders.
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 94000590, listed June 10, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1932 Five Mile Line Rd., Penfield |
|---|---|
| County | Monroe County |
| Listed | June 10, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94000590 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c1821-c1931 |
| Architect / builder | Calvin Owen, builder |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a single-family residence; the house has not been altered since its 1931 move. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 43.14254, -77.47649 (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 94000590.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5902266
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.