Will, Louis, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1885 at 714 North McBride Street in Syracuse, this red pressed brick house was the home of Louis Will, who ran a large candle-making business and later served as the city's Progressive Party mayor. It is a high-style Queen Anne residence with an asymmetrical plan, cross gables, a three-quarter circle corner tower, a wrap-around porch, and terra cotta panels on a projecting chimney. A full-height pavilion on the north side holds the main staircase and a large stained glass window; the stained glass throughout is attributed to the early Tiffany studio. The original drawings survive but name no architect. The house faces McBride Park and predates nearby houses by twenty to thirty years. Will's candle firm shipped products worldwide, and he was active in civic affairs until his death in 1932. After his family left in 1944 the house became a Salvation Army residence. Restoration began in 2000, and it now operates as a bed and breakfast.
Significance in brief: It is significant under Criterion B as the home of Louis Will, an important late-nineteenth-century Syracuse industrialist and Progressive Party mayor from 1914 to 1916. It is also significant under Criterion C as one of the finest Queen Anne style houses in Syracuse, notable for its brickwork, terra cotta details and stained glass windows said to be from the early Tiffany studio.
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 09000909, listed November 10, 2009. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 714 N. McBride St., Syracuse |
|---|---|
| County | Onondaga County |
| Listed | November 10, 2009 |
| Reference number | 09000909 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1885-1932 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian: Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Industry |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a bed and breakfast; the current owners have been restoring the house since purchasing it in 2000, after about 30 years as a Salvation Army group home. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 43.05983, -76.14652 (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 09000909.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6688379
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.