Brosemer Brewery
Also known as: Seaway Supply
Why it's listed
Rising four stories above West First Street in Oswego, this brick and heavy timber building was erected in 1888 by Lewis Brosemer as a brewery. Brick pilasters, a dentiled frieze and an exposed limestone foundation mark its exterior. Inside, three rows of timber columns run through open floors. Shipping took place on the first floor, malt on the second and third, and grain bins and kilns on the fourth, with fermentation, bottling and storage in the basement. Brosemer's sons Frank and John later ran the business, employing about twenty men and producing 200 barrels of beer a day in 1895. Brewing ended in the 1920s, and the building later housed a stationery maker, a wholesale grocery and, from 1954, a plumbing and heating supply company, until 2003. It is the last building in Oswego constructed as a brewery and one of few surviving late-nineteenth-century riverfront industrial buildings. Plans call for conversion to apartments.
Significance in brief: It is significant under Criterion A for its link to Oswego's late-nineteenth-century industrial growth as a Great Lakes port and Erie Canal gateway. It is significant under Criterion C as an intact example of late-nineteenth-century industrial architecture, a type that has become rare in the city. It is the last surviving building in Oswego constructed as a brewery.
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 10000102, listed March 29, 2010. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 472 W. First St., Oswego |
|---|---|
| County | Oswego County |
| Listed | March 29, 2010 |
| Reference number | 10000102 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1888-1908 |
| Architect / builder | Lewis Brosemer (builder/owner) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th & Early 20th Century Movements |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Industry |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Vacated in 2003; a rehabilitation plan calls for conversion to residential apartments. The windows are badly deteriorated and many are covered over. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | New York State Barge Canal |
| Coordinates | 43.44767, -76.50256 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 10000102.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4975400
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.