Payne, William A., House
Why it's listed
This two-and-one-half-story wood frame house at 505 Elmgrove Road in Greece, New York, was built in 1905 by William A. Payne. It shows the Queen Anne style through a full-width front porch, an asymmetrical form, a complicated roof of hipped and cross gables, bay windows and fish scale shingles. Cornice returns in the gable ends add Colonial Revival influence. A wood frame carriage barn from the same year stands northwest of the house. Inside, the house keeps original wood floors, wide moldings and a stained oak staircase. Payne served as Monroe County Sealer of Weights and Measures from 1908 until his death in 1932. He helped found the statewide association of sealers that worked toward fair and uniform weighing and measuring for merchants and consumers. He lived in the house until his death, and his family stayed until 1978 with few significant changes. The property was listed for this association and for its architecture, with a period of significance of 1905 to 1932.
Significance in brief: The house is significant under Criterion B in politics for its association with William A. Payne, Monroe County Sealer of Weights and Measures from 1908 to 1932 and a founder of the statewide sealers' association. It is the only extant building directly tied to him. It is also significant under Criterion C as a representative turn-of-the-twentieth-century Queen Anne house with Colonial Revival details.
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 12000343, listed June 20, 2012. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 505 Elmgrove Rd., Greece |
|---|---|
| County | Monroe County |
| Listed | June 20, 2012 |
| Reference number | 12000343 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1905-1932 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Politics/Government |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a residence; the kitchen was remodeled in 1991 and repairs and alterations have been done in-kind. |
| Acreage | 1.6 |
| Coordinates | 43.18150, -77.73309 (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 12000343.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q23091991
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.