Sibley, Hiram, Homestead
Why it's listed
Set on a rural bluff-edged parcel beside Honeoye Creek in Sibleyville, this wood-frame farmhouse was begun by Hiram Sibley around 1827 and finished by about 1832. Its Federal style shows in a pedimented facade with a lunette, an elliptical fanlight over the entrance, slender colonnettes and delicate cornice moldings. Inside, each of the eight fireplaces has a different mantel, and several original details survive. The house was moved about a thousand feet north in 1928 when Sibley Road was widened, after Sibley's grandson Harper Sibley repurchased it, and sympathetic additions followed in 1942. Sibley ran his first mill and manufacturing ventures here before moving to Rochester in 1843. Those ventures financed his later role in founding Western Union and building a transcontinental telegraph line. The property also holds the foundation ruins and arched mill race of his early grist mill, the only remains of the mill complex.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an outstanding example of early nineteenth-century Federal residential architecture in the Genesee region, with finely crafted detail. It is also tied to Hiram Sibley, a financier and philanthropist and founding partner of Western Union. The site was where his first milling and manufacturing ventures produced the capital for that company.
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 85002291, listed September 12, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 29 Sibley Rd., Sibleyville |
|---|---|
| County | Monroe County |
| Listed | September 12, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85002291 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1827-1832 |
| Architect / builder | unknown (house built by Hiram Sibley; 1942 additions designed by Rochester architect William G. Kaelber) |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied as a private residence; condition listed as excellent, altered and moved (1928). |
| Acreage | 26 |
| Coordinates | 42.96940, -77.61495 (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 85002291.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5769285
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.