Hunter-Oliphant Block
Also known as: Browne-Davis Furniture Store
Why it's listed
Two linked brick buildings at the northeast corner of West First and West Oneida streets in downtown Oswego make up this commercial block. The Oliphant Building went up in 1880 for a printing company, and the Hunter Building followed in 1882 for a furniture company. A fourth story was later added to the Oliphant Building and used for printing railroad tickets. Both share Italianate west facades with cast iron storefronts made by the Kingsford Foundry of Oswego, panelled brick walls, corbelling, and round and segmentally arched windows with molded hoods. Modified Palladian windows mark the center of the West First Street fronts. The architect is unknown. Furniture companies have operated both buildings together since 1909, and the interiors keep wood floors, fluted iron columns and period office trim. Fires, remodelings and urban renewal have removed much of Oswego's late nineteenth-century commercial architecture, so few buildings of comparable scale and integrity remain to recall the 1880s.
Significance in brief: The block is argued to be a distinctive and largely intact example of late nineteenth-century Italianate commercial architecture in Oswego. It retains its cast iron storefronts, hooded windows, brick corbelling and cornices, along with much of its interior. Fires, remodelings and urban renewal have removed most comparable buildings, making it a rare survivor of the 1880s business district.
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 95000880, listed July 21, 1995. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 215--219 W. First St., Oswego |
|---|---|
| County | Oswego County |
| Listed | July 21, 1995 |
| Reference number | 95000880 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1880 - 1909 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in commercial use as a furniture store, described as well maintained with few irreversible alterations. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Kingsford Historic District |
| Coordinates | 43.45564, -76.51042 (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.
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 95000880.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5944180
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.