Shoecraft, Matthew, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1867 at the corner of Ridge Road and Smartville Road in Lacona, this two-story, five-bay house is a well-preserved example of Italianate design. It has a shallow hipped roof, a wide cornice with paired turned brackets, and a center entry with sidelights beneath a one-story porch on flared, tapered pillars. Windows are six-over-six on the upper floor and one-over-one below, all with louvered shutters. Aluminum siding covers the original clapboard. Inside, the house has been divided into apartments but keeps its oak floors, woodwork and a stairway with a cherry railing and newel post. The original owner was Matthew Shoecraft, an attorney, and in 1872 the building became the Presbyterian parsonage. It is considered one of the two best examples of its style and period in Sandy Creek and reflects the town's post-Civil War prosperity. A later carriage house on the 2.5-acre site has been altered and is not counted as historic.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be an intact, representative example of Italianate residential architecture in Sandy Creek and one of the two best examples of the style and period in the town. It is distinguished by fine detailing such as turned cornice bracket drops and tapered porch pillars. It also reflects the post-Civil War prosperity of the community.
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 88002210, listed November 15, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Ridge Rd. at Smartville Rd., Lacona |
|---|---|
| County | Oswego County |
| Listed | November 15, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88002210 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in residential use; the interior has been converted to apartments and the carriage house has also been converted to apartments. Condition is marked excellent. |
| Acreage | 2.5 |
| Coordinates | 43.64257, -76.06218 (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 88002210.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6791224
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.