Davis, Phineas, Farmstead
Why it's listed
Phineas Davis Farmstead is a 64-acre working farm on North Road in the village of Mexico, Oswego County. Davis arrived from Connecticut in 1799 and settled beside the Little Salmon River, first building a log cabin, then a frame house in 1813. His son, Phineas Davis Jr., built the present two-story brick Italianate house between 1870 and 1873, using builder John Aldrich and no architect. The house has a bracketed hip roof, cast-iron lintels, long narrow windows, bay windows and a columned porch, and its interior keeps the original plan, woodwork and hardware. Brick and cast iron were rarely used in Mexico farmhouses because of their cost. A nineteenth-century hen house and three stone hitching posts also survive. The Davis family farmed here until 1908, and the land has stayed in agricultural use rather than being subdivided. It was listed for its link to the town's farming history and for its architecture.
Significance in brief: The farmstead represents agricultural development and settlement in the Town of Mexico, with continuous farming since 1799 and ownership by the Davis family until 1908. Its brick farmhouse with cast-iron lintels is a distinctive and unusually costly example of the Italianate style for a local farm. It also retains much of its original acreage and agricultural character.
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 91000524, listed June 20, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 5422 North Rd., Mexico |
|---|---|
| County | Oswego County |
| Listed | June 20, 1991 |
| Reference number | 91000524 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1799-1908 as nominated; amended by the Keeper to 1870-1908 |
| Architect / builder | Aldrich, John (builder); no architect involved |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still operated as a dairy farm and used as a single dwelling, with a 1961 dairy barn and silos and a 1981 metal building that are non-contributing. |
| Acreage | 64.2 |
| Coordinates | 43.46448, -76.22639 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 91000524.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7186347
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.