Wright, Roswell, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1823 on Main Street in Unadilla, Otsego County, this two-story timber frame house was designed as a temple-front residence with a four-column Ionic portico, a dentiled pediment and a Federal-style entrance with an arched fanlight and sidelights. David Finch, a builder who had moved to the village from Connecticut, constructed it for Roswell Wright, a prominent merchant and postmaster whose dry goods store stood next door. The house reflects the Jeffersonian Classical tradition spread through builders' guides of the period. It also records Unadilla's rise during the Turnpike Era, when the village sat at the end of the Catskill Turnpike and on the Susquehanna Turnpike and grew into a regional commercial center. Later owners included civic leaders such as Abial D. Williams and state senator David P. Loomis. The grounds retain a bluestone sidewalk, a stone wall and remnants of a landscaped garden.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be a distinguished, largely intact example of early nineteenth-century residential design in the tradition of Jeffersonian Classicism, with a full Roman portico, scrolled brackets and an arched fanlight doorway. It is also significant as a sign of Unadilla's prosperity during the Turnpike Era, when the village grew from a frontier settlement into a commercial center.
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 88001271, listed September 1, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 25 Main St., Unadilla |
|---|---|
| County | Otsego County |
| Listed | September 1, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88001271 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1823-1900 |
| Architect / builder | David Finch |
| Architectural style | Early Republic/Early Classical Revival (described in the text as Greek Revival style and Jeffersonian Classicism) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a single-family dwelling; the interior and exterior of the 1823 main block retain a high degree of integrity, and the rear additions have been modernized and restored. |
| Acreage | 0.8 |
| Coordinates | 42.32576, -75.31007 (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 88001271.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7370132
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.