Brick Store Building
Why it's listed
Built in 1807 where the Great Western Turnpike crossed the Utica to New Berlin road, this two-story brick building in Bridgewater began as a tavern and stagecoach stop. It has a gabled roof, a cut limestone foundation, a segmental arched double entrance with louvered transom, an elliptical attic window and flat brick lintels. A two-story wood frame wing extends to the rear. As canals and railroads displaced turnpike travel, the building became a tinsmith's and harness maker's shop, a general store and first village post office, a hardware store, and from 1886 an inn called The Cottage Hotel. By 1930 it housed a tavern, The White Eagle. After decline in the 1960s it was refurbished for commercial use. It is valued as a rare surviving Federal period commercial building in rural Oneida County, reflecting the commercial growth the turnpikes brought to the region, and for its moderately high architectural integrity.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is a rare, intact example of vernacular Federal period commercial architecture from the turnpike era. Over time it served as a tavern, tradesmen's shop, general store, post office, hardware store, inn and tavern again, so its history reflects the evolution of a turnpike crossroads community. It keeps a moderately high level of integrity of design and materials.
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 96000486, listed April 26, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. of US 20 and NY 8, Bridgewater |
|---|---|
| County | Oneida County |
| Listed | April 26, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96000486 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1807-1930 |
| Architectural style | Early Republic/Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Refurbished after falling into disrepair in the 1960s and returned to commercial use; the frame portion was recently renovated for modern commercial use. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.87896, -75.25153 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 96000486.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4965947
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.