Central Troy Historic District
Also known as: See Also:70000427 to 70000432; 73001255; 73001256; 73001258; 730
Why it's listed
Central Troy Historic District covers roughly 96 acres at the heart of Troy, New York, on the east bank of the Hudson River just below its meeting with the Mohawk. It takes in the downtown commercial core and surrounding residential streets, with 679 contributing features built between 1787 and about 1940, mostly of brick. The district merges five earlier historic districts with the buildings between them. River Street's warehouses, rebuilt after the 1820 fire, reflect Troy's role as a river trade center. Monument Square and the banking blocks of First Street show later commercial growth, with buildings such as the Cannon Building, the Rice Building and the McCarthy Building. Residential blocks, including Second Street and the Washington Park area, display Federal, Greek Revival, Italianate, Gothic Revival and Queen Anne houses built for merchants, industrialists and middle-class residents. The boundaries separate this concentration of intact buildings from altered or modern surroundings.
Significance in brief: The district consolidates five previously listed districts and the intervening areas into one boundary around Troy's best-preserved commercial and residential center. It shows the city's rise as a Hudson River trade hub and a manufacturing center, especially in the second half of the nineteenth century. Its buildings represent a wide range of architectural styles, from Federal and Greek Revival to Victorian and early twentieth-century types.
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 86001527, listed August 13, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by Grand St., Fifth Ave. and Third, Adams, and First and River Sts., Troy |
|---|---|
| County | Rensselaer County |
| Listed | August 13, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86001527 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1787-1940 |
| Architect / builder | Includes Town and Davis (Cannon Building), Vaux and Withers (Rice Building), W.L. and J.W. Woolett (YMCA Building) |
| Architectural style | Diverse styles including Federal, Greek Revival, Italianate, Gothic Revival, Queen Anne, Romanesque Revival, High Victorian Gothic, Renaissance Revival and Colonial Revival |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Community Planning and Development, Commerce, Transportation, Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied, with mixed commercial, residential, educational, museum, religious and government uses. |
| Acreage | 96 |
| Within district | Central Troy Historic District (Boundary Increase) |
| Coordinates | 42.72835, -73.69132 (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 86001527.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q1054027
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.