Bacon-Merchant-Moss House
Why it's listed
Built around 1832 for Gillett Bacon, this Lockport house at the corner of Cottage and Walnut streets is faced in Medina sandstone with limestone lintels, sills and water table. Its Federal details include a three-bay front, semi-elliptical gable windows, gable returns and classically inspired interior woodwork. Later stone wings were added in the nineteenth century, and a modernist gymnasium and office wing followed in 1951. Dr. George Merchant, maker of Merchant's Gargling Oil, owned the house from 1842, and banker Abijah Moss bought it in 1861; his family stayed for decades. Local tradition holds that the Moss family hid escaping slaves in a narrow attic crawlspace, though no documents confirm this. The house later served as Red Cross headquarters during World War I and was bought by the YWCA in 1927, which still uses it. It is valued as an intact example of Lockport's early stone architecture.
Significance in brief: It is significant under Criterion C as an intact example of early nineteenth-century stone architecture in Lockport, built during the Erie Canal era. Its refined masonry on three elevations, Federal detailing and interior trim show a higher level of workmanship than typical local stone houses. It is also tied to prominent local figures and, by local tradition only, to the Underground Railroad.
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 07000481, listed May 30, 2007. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 32 Cottage St., Lockport |
|---|---|
| County | Niagara County |
| Listed | May 30, 2007 |
| Reference number | 07000481 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1832-1951 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use by the YWCA of Niagara for recreational and educational programs, services and activities; interior altered for office use but retaining early features. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 43.16809, -78.69429 (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 07000481.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4839917
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.