Red Mill Farm
Why it's listed
Red Mill Farm is a working farm complex about three-quarters of a mile east of Colosse, in Oswego County, New York. The nominated 174.76 acres hold six contributing buildings and three contributing structures. The two-story, three-bay farmhouse was built about 1832 by George Cholet, using hand-hewn hemlock timbers, a sandstone foundation and fashionable details such as paneled pilasters and a raking cornice. A tool shop, granary and horse barn date from the same period. Later additions include a windmill (1910), silo (1920), garage (1928) and milkhouse (1932). Together they show how the farm changed from grain production to dairying under the Moran family, who began renting the land in 1889. The farm kept about 175 acres of historic farmland and is regarded as one of the best preserved historic farm complexes in the county. A nearby nineteenth-century mill site was left out of the boundary because it has not been evaluated. Today the farm raises sheep.
Significance in brief: The farm is a representative example of farmsteads in the town and village of Mexico and has the largest number of historic farm-related buildings in the town. It illustrates the local shift from grain production to dairying. It also keeps nearly 175 acres of historic farmland, much still in agricultural use.
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 91001629, listed November 14, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 7177 Red Mill Rd., Colosse |
|---|---|
| County | Oswego County |
| Listed | November 14, 1991 |
| Reference number | 91001629 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | c1832-1932 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown (the farmhouse is attributed to George Cholet as builder in the narrative) |
| Architectural style | Early Republic / Mid-19th Century; Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still a working farm, now operating as a sheep farm, with some land leased to other farmers for cultivation. |
| Acreage | 174.8 |
| Coordinates | 43.42428, -76.14498 (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 91001629.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7304601
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.