Chandler, Peter, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1838 for Peter Chandler, a prosperous village merchant and philanthropist, this five-bay stone house at 5897 Main Street in Mexico, New York, is a formal example of Greek Revival design. Its walls are grey sandstone quarried in nearby Arthur, laid in even rectangular blocks above a cut-stone foundation. A hip roof with a wide overhang, a deep molded frieze, four end-wall chimneys, and a flat-roofed porch with square columns and a sidelighted doorway define its character. Inside, a center hall with two rooms on each side retains original woodwork, brass hardware, interior shutters, and six stone fireplaces. A frame wing on the west side was removed in the early twentieth century. Later occupant Leonard Ames, Jr., was an abolitionist, and tradition links the house to the Underground Railway, but no evidence supports this. The house is valued as the most imposing residence of its period in Mexico and as a record of the village's mid-nineteenth-century prosperity.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a sophisticated and highly intact example of Greek Revival architecture in Mexico village, with extremely fine stone craftsmanship. It is the most imposing residence of its period in the village, with a full five-bay symmetrical design. Possible links to abolitionist activity under a later occupant are unproven, so only the architectural significance is claimed.
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 91001626, listed November 14, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 5897 Main St., Mexico |
|---|---|
| County | Oswego County |
| Listed | November 14, 1991 |
| Reference number | 91001626 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1838 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown (built by a local builder) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a single-family dwelling; the form says it survives with a high degree of integrity inside and out. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 43.45974, -76.22869 (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 91001626.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7173230
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.