Sabine, William H., House
Also known as: Locust Lawn
Why it's listed
Locust Lawn, the William H. Sabine House, is a two-story Federal-style brick residence built around 1812 at 9 Academy Green in the Valley section of Syracuse. It sits on 4.51 acres, the remainder of a tract of more than 100 acres bought by William Sabine soon after he arrived around 1800. The three-bay north facade has projecting pilasters capped by arches, a stepped parapet and an elliptical louvered window, a treatment typical of Central New York buildings along early turnpikes and the Erie Canal. Inside are a curved staircase and Federal woodwork. A barn, summer kitchen, stone wall and a noncontributing tenant house remain. The house is significant as one of the oldest residential properties in the city and for its Sabine family associations. Sabine's twin sons, William and Joseph, were tied to the anti-slavery movement, including an 1843 abolition meeting in the front yard and Joseph's role in the 1851 Jerry Rescue. It remains a single dwelling.
Significance in brief: It is argued to be one of the oldest residential properties in present-day Syracuse and was the home of William Sabine, an early settler, and his twin sons, who were connected with the anti-slavery movement. It is also an important example of Federal architecture with a regional Central New York feature: a facade divided into bays by projecting pilasters and arches.
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 10000303, listed May 28, 2010. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 9 Academy Green, Syracuse |
|---|---|
| County | Onondaga County |
| Listed | May 28, 2010 |
| Reference number | 10000303 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c.1812-c.1900 |
| Architectural style | Early Republic: Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently used as a single dwelling; historic windows have been replaced, and the house was a nursing home after it left the family in 1944. |
| Acreage | 4.5 |
| Coordinates | 43.00075, -76.14975 (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 10000303.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8002407
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.