Third Ward Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Why it's listed
Tucked into the inner southwest corner of Rochester and cut off from downtown by Interstate 490, this seven-block residential district holds about 126 buildings and ten vacant lots. Most are brick houses, ranging from heavy Greek Revival "temples" to flamboyant late Victorian villas, with some early twentieth-century apartment buildings. Only a few mid-twentieth-century buildings intrude. From roughly 1830 to 1880 the Third Ward was the city's choicest residential neighborhood, set apart from the business district by the Erie Canal. Its homes reflect Rochester's mid-nineteenth-century economy: millers Hervey Ely and Benjamin Campbell built grand Greek Revival houses, and lumber merchants, a mayor and a telegraph pioneer also lived here. Leonard Jerome, grandfather of Winston Churchill, lived in the ward in the 1840s. After decay in the early twentieth century, urban renewal and a landmarks foundation that rehabilitated demonstration houses revived the area as a multi-income neighborhood.
Significance in brief: The district is described as a well-preserved enclave of Victorian Rochester and a visual record of the city's social history. Between about 1830 and 1880 it was Rochester's choicest residential district, home to millers, lumber merchants, a mayor and other prominent figures. Its Greek Revival and Victorian houses, and a successful rehabilitation effort, keep that character alive.
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 100009601, listed November 30, 2023. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by Adams and Peach Sts., I-490, and both sides of Troup and Fitzhugh Sts., Rochester |
|---|---|
| County | Monroe County |
| Listed | November 30, 2023 |
| Reference number | 100009601 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | Isaac Loomis (local architect who built his own house at 42 Atkinson Street); Ely House said to be designed by an architect named Hastings |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Italianate villas, Gothic and Carpenter Gothic, and late Victorian |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Community Planning and Development, Ethnic Heritage-Black |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Since 1966 an Urban Renewal Project area; about two-thirds of buildings have been rehabilitated, and the plan bars retail, commercial and industrial uses. Condition is checked as excellent, good and fair. |
| Acreage | 51.64 |
| Coordinates | 43.15028, -77.61556 (Wikidata) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 100009601.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7785001
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.