Huffman, William, Cobblestone House
Why it's listed
Built in 1845, this cobblestone farmhouse on Townline Road in Phelps, Ontario County, was the home of farmer William Huffman, his wife Harriet and their children. The two-story, three-bay main block has a one-story side ell, gable roofs with cornice returns, stone sills and lintels, and a side entrance carved with "W.H. 1845." Its walls use evenly colored field cobbles laid in horizontal rows, with smooth Medina sandstone quoins. Oval cobbles on the south side are set on a diagonal, the work of an unknown but skilled mason. Inside, original woodwork, doors, mantelpieces and staircases survive nearly intact. A ca. 1900 barn and 108.7 acres of farmland remain with the house. It is considered one of the most finely crafted of the 26 cobblestone buildings in Phelps, and an outstanding example of late Federal and early Greek Revival rural architecture. The farm also reflects the agricultural history of the Finger Lakes region.
Significance in brief: The house is presented as an outstanding example of cobblestone construction in Ontario County and a fine example of late Federal/early Greek Revival rural domestic architecture. It is also significant for its association with agriculture in the Finger Lakes region, supported by the surviving barn and farmland.
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 02001647, listed December 31, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1064 Townline Rd., Phelps |
|---|---|
| County | Ontario County |
| Listed | December 31, 2002 |
| Reference number | 02001647 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1845 - 1900 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century: Greek Revival (late Federal/early Greek Revival) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling on a working farm, with about half the acreage cultivated in corn and soybeans; most historic farm support structures have been lost, but one pre-1900 barn survives. |
| Acreage | 108.7 |
| Coordinates | 42.98442, -76.96811 (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 02001647.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8012628
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.