Chapman House
Why it's listed
This two-story frame house at 518 Danforth Street in Syracuse's old village of Salina was designed by architect Ward Wellington Ward and completed in 1912. It combines Colonial Revival features, such as a symmetrical front facade, side-gabled roof, corner pilasters and fanlights in the gable ends, with Arts and Crafts details, including wood joinery, lattice work on the porches and decorative brickwork. Inside, the living room fireplace uses long red bricks with Mercer tile insets, which is Ward's only known use of that brick. The original plan, hardwood floors, built-in cabinets and laundry chutes survive. The main exterior change is narrow aluminum siding added over the clapboard in the late 1950s or early 1960s. Robert Chapman of the Chapman Lumber Co. and his wife gave the house to their son John as a wedding present. Only two families have owned it. It was listed for its architecture as an intact example of Ward's residential work.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be an intact and representative example of Ward Wellington Ward's residential architecture in Syracuse. It blends Colonial Revival and Arts and Crafts elements and retains its original plan, finishes and built-in features. It meets the registration requirements of the Ward multiple property context.
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 97000072, listed February 14, 1997. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 518 Danforth St., Syracuse |
|---|---|
| County | Onondaga County |
| Listed | February 14, 1997 |
| Reference number | 97000072 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1912 |
| Architect / builder | Ward, Ward Wellington |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival/Arts and Crafts |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling; described as in good condition on the exterior and interior. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 43.06754, -76.15654 (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 97000072.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5073293
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.