Harmon Cobblestone Farmhouse and Cobblestone Smokehouse
Why it's listed
Set on a quiet rural road in Phelps, this 1842 farmhouse was built by Charles Harmon and is faced in small, evenly colored, oval, lake-washed cobblestones. The stones are laid in diagonal rows, with five cobbles per quoin on the front facade and limestone quoins, sills and lintels framing the corners and openings. The main block is two stories and three bays with a side hall, joined by a one-and-one-half-story side wing and a one-story rear wing. A lunette with wood tracery sits in the front gable, and the interior keeps its original room layout and simple Greek Revival woodwork. A small cobblestone smokehouse of the same date stands nearby. Only 7 of 25 known cobblestone smokehouses in New York remain with a cobblestone farmhouse. The house was listed for its architecture: its fine Middle Period masonry and its vernacular Greek Revival form. Most of the original farm and its other outbuildings are gone.
Significance in brief: The farmhouse and smokehouse are significant as largely intact examples of cobblestone construction in New York State, with the house showing refined Middle Period masonry. The house is also a representative example of vernacular Greek Revival rural domestic architecture in Phelps. The survival of a cobblestone smokehouse alongside a cobblestone farmhouse is described as relatively rare statewide.
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 92000552, listed May 22, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 983 Smith Rd., Phelps |
|---|---|
| County | Ontario County |
| Listed | May 22, 1992 |
| Reference number | 92000552 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1842 |
| Architect / builder | Charles Harmon (builder, per Barbara Swartout's Ontario County Cobblestones) |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century; Greek Revival (cobblestone construction) |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The side porch is described as deteriorated and not original; the interior retains its original room layout. The property is a single dwelling in current use. |
| Acreage | 2.8 |
| Coordinates | 42.99213, -77.12451 (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 92000552.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5659150
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.