Genesee Park Historic District
Why it's listed
Genesee Park Historic District occupies about 12 acres two blocks north of Geneva's historic commercial core. Its focal point is Genesee Park, a 105-by-247-foot village green created in 1849 after neighbors asked the city for a public open space. Deed restrictions kept the green public and free of buildings, and a cast-iron fence was added in 1871. Around it are two churches and fourteen dwellings, most built between the late 1830s and the 1890s. St. Peter's Episcopal Church (1868), designed by Richard Upjohn in Medina sandstone, has a campanile added in 1878 by his son. The former North Presbyterian Church (1875), by White & Bickford of Elmira, is built of limestone. Houses include temple-front Greek Revival examples, an Italianate house, an Italian Villa, and a Stick style dwelling. Other nearby buildings were heavily altered, so the boundary includes only those that kept their original character. The district reflects the growth of a middle-class neighborhood and a range of nineteenth-century styles.
Significance in brief: The district is a highly intact group of mid- to late nineteenth century religious, civic and domestic buildings arranged around a New England-style village green. It is significant for community development, architecture and landscape architecture. It includes two outstanding Gothic Revival churches and Greek Revival, Italianate, Italian Villa and Stick style houses.
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 02001117, listed October 10, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Genesee Park, Genesee Park Place, and Genesee and Lewis Sts., Geneva |
|---|---|
| County | Ontario County |
| Listed | October 10, 2002 |
| Reference number | 02001117 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1830s-1905 |
| Architect / builder | Richard Upjohn (St. Peter's Episcopal Church); Richard M. Upjohn (campanile); White & Bickford of Elmira (North Presbyterian Church); George Seeley (built 140 Genesee Street) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, Italianate, Italian Villa, Stick Style, Tudor Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Entertainment/Recreation, Community Planning and Development, Landscape Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Both churches, the dwellings and the park remain in historic or similar use; the buildings are described as remarkably intact. |
| Acreage | 12 |
| Coordinates | 42.87128, -76.98330 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 02001117.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5532734
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.