King, Polaski, House
Why it's listed
Set on Valley Drive in Onondaga Hollow, just south of Syracuse's urban core, this two-story brick house dates to about 1810. Its front elevation is five bays wide, with a Neoclassical entry door, sidelights, a semi-elliptical fanlight and a triple window above. The walls are laid in Flemish bond on a limestone foundation, and a rear brick wing holds a large cooking fireplace. A clapboard addition was made around 1860. The house is tied to Polaski King, a major landowner, Justice of the Peace and gentleman farmer who founded the Masonic Order in the Hollow in 1803, the first regular school in 1807, and the Onondaga Valley Cemetery in 1819. The Hollow was settled in 1788, before Syracuse was founded, and still keeps a rural character. Federal-style buildings are rare in Syracuse, and this one was the first designated by the city's Landmarks Preservation Board. At the time of listing it stood abandoned, with its mantelpieces and stair rail held for reinstallation.
Significance in brief: The house is one of few surviving early Federal-style buildings in Syracuse, with Flemish bond brickwork and refined Neoclassical detailing. It reflects the early settlement of Onondaga Hollow and is tied to Polaski King, a landowner and civic leader. It was also the first building designated by the city's Landmarks Preservation Board.
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 79001614, listed April 20, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2270 Valley Dr., Syracuse |
|---|---|
| County | Onondaga County |
| Listed | April 20, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79001614 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown (reputedly built by Polaski King) |
| Architectural style | Federal (Federal Neoclassical) |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as presently abandoned; interior features such as mantelpieces and the stair rail were removed for safekeeping and are to be returned upon restoration. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.99228, -76.15296 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 79001614.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7209194
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.