Barden, Levi, Cobblestone Farmhouse
Why it's listed
Built around 1836, this L-shaped cobblestone farmhouse sits on the west side of Wabash Road in rural Seneca, on a 230-acre farm in southeast Ontario County. Its walls are made of variously colored field cobbles laid in rows, with smooth limestone quoins at the corners and stone lintels and sills around the openings. The five-bay main block has a pedimented portico with four fluted Doric columns, and the interior keeps Greek Revival fireplace surrounds and trim with anthemion corner blocks. Levi Barden inherited the farm from his father, Thomas Barden III, a landholder who was murdered in 1812. Levi's son Vincent later ran a creamery and butter company on the property. Late nineteenth and early twentieth century outbuildings survive, including a frame barn, a scale house and a dairy barn. The house is one of about 101 cobblestone buildings in Ontario County. It was listed for its intact cobblestone construction, its Greek Revival character and its place in local agricultural history.
Significance in brief: The house is a substantially intact, representative example of cobblestone construction from the Middle Period (ca. 1835-1845) in Ontario County. It is also a fine vernacular Greek Revival dwelling, with a pedimented Doric portico and intact interior woodwork. It is additionally tied to the agricultural history of the area through the long-running Barden family farm and its dairy and creamery operations.
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 03000690, listed July 25, 2003. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 5300 Wabash Rd., Seneca |
|---|---|
| County | Ontario County |
| Listed | July 25, 2003 |
| Reference number | 03000690 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1836 - 1920 |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century: Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a single dwelling on a working farm; the farmland is leased to a large-scale farmer, and the dairy herd was sold in the early 1960s. |
| Acreage | 230 |
| Coordinates | 42.77023, -77.03738 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 03000690.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6535363
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.