Adelaide Avenue School
Why it's listed
Adelaide Avenue School is a one-story brick building at 108-116 Adelaide Avenue in Canandaigua, New York, erected around 1890 to a design by local architect Orlando K. Foote. It sits on a raised concrete basement and has a T-shaped plan, a multi-gabled roof and a louvred belvedere topped by a slate pyramidal roof. Variegated brick, brick string and belt courses, segmentally arched lintels, and a prominent front cross-gable with scallop shingles and round oculi give it a picturesque Queen Anne character. Some windows have been partly enclosed and fitted with modern sash, and porches and porticos have been added or altered. The building was one of four ward schools built in Canandaigua in the nineteenth century and is one of only two that remain substantially intact, the other being Saltonstall School. Its design is more elaborate than the other three. It is valued as a local example of Queen Anne public architecture and of Foote's work. It now contains multiple dwellings.
Significance in brief: The school is cited as a local representative example of Queen Anne style public architecture, with a picturesque eclectic combination of forms and ornament. It is one of only two of Canandaigua's four nineteenth-century ward schools that remain substantially intact. Its design is considerably more elaborate than the other three, and it is an example of Foote's work.
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 84002822, listed April 26, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 108-116 Adelaide Ave., Canandaigua |
|---|---|
| County | Ontario County |
| Listed | April 26, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002822 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect: Orlando K. Foote; builder unknown |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne; eclectic, picturesque late nineteenth century |
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Originally a school; now used as multiple dwellings (private residences). Condition rated fair, with deterioration noted as a threat. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.88358, -77.28584 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 84002822.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4681669
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.