Tunnicliff-Jordan House
Why it's listed
Near the west end of Richfield Springs, a two-story, four-bay, square-plan house with a hipped roof sits on the south side of Main Street. Built between 1810 and 1835, it stands out in a neighborhood of mostly later nineteenth and early twentieth century homes. A rear ell was added around 1830-1850, and a leanto, first a woodshed, was remodeled for living space about 1939. Inside are a simple stair hall, Greek Revival doors and moldings, and a parlor with the most elaborate window trim. Next door, a small gambrel-roofed house with Queen Anne details was built about 1888, probably for the engineer of the Richfield Springs Electric Light and Power Company, which also owned the former mill property. Peter Jordan, a general contractor, bought the property in 1913 and 1914. His son Myron A. Jordan, a Syracuse-trained architect, later worked with the family business and remodeled parts of the house in the 1930s.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the main house is significant for architecture as an early, largely intact Early Republic and Greek Revival building in a neighborhood of later nineteenth and early twentieth century homes. The property is also tied to Myron A. Jordan, an architect from the Jordan family who owned it from 1913. The nominated resources also reflect the property's past as a mill site and later electric power company site.
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 10000796, listed September 24, 2010. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 68-72 Main St, Richfield Springs |
|---|---|
| County | Otsego County |
| Listed | September 24, 2010 |
| Reference number | 10000796 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c1810-c1960 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Early Republic; Late nineteenth-early twentieth century revivals |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Both buildings are described as retaining a very high level of integrity; current functions listed are single dwelling and professional commerce. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.85611, -74.99156 (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 10000796.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7853346
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.