Saltonstall Street School
Why it's listed
Saltonstall Street School, at 47 Saltonstall Street in Canandaigua, is a one-story, T-shaped building of brick and wood frame. Its rear section dates to about 1875, and the main block was added in about 1890 to designs attributed to local architect Orlando K. Foote, with Albion Ellis as builder. The main block has a gable roof topped by a belvedere with a pyramidal roof and prominent finial. A corbelled brick belt course runs below the cornice, and the street-facing gable carries clapboard with decorative vertical boards and a panel reading "Public School." Its asymmetrical massing and eclectic detail make it a local example of Queen Anne public architecture. It is also a typical nineteenth-century ward school: of four originally built in the city, it and the Adelaide Avenue School are the only two to keep substantial architectural integrity. Once a school, the building now has a commercial use. A long concrete block wing at the rear is not considered contributing.
Significance in brief: The school is argued to be a local example of Queen Anne style public architecture, with asymmetrical massing, a multi-gabled roof, a belvedere with finial, decorative front-gable woodwork and corbelled brickwork. It is also a typical nineteenth-century ward school, one of only two of the city's four originally built that retain substantial architectural integrity. The 1890 main block is attributed to local architect Orlando K. Foote.
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 84002877, listed April 26, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 47 Saltonstall St., Canandaigua |
|---|---|
| County | Ontario County |
| Listed | April 26, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002877 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect: Orlando K. Foote; Builder: Albion Ellis |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Original use was a school; present use is commercial. Condition is listed as fair, and deterioration is checked as a threat. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.88422, -77.27644 (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 84002877.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7406181
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.