Second Street Historic District
Also known as: See Also:Troy Savings Bank and Music Hall
Why it's listed
Second Street in Troy, New York, is one of the city's oldest major thoroughfares, and a six-block stretch of it forms a densely built historic district between Monument Square and the Washington Park Historic District. Most of its roughly 88 historic structures are two- or three-story brick and brownstone townhouses, built as homes for prominent Troy families and later adapted to offices and apartments. Larger stone buildings punctuate the street, including the Troy Savings Bank with its Music Hall, designed by George B. Post and completed in 1875, the Pioneer Savings Bank, the Rensselaer County Courthouse, and the Caldwell Apartments. Marcus F. Cummings and his son Frederick designed several buildings, including Russell Sage College halls and the former Y.W.C.A. Seminary Park recalls the Troy Female Seminary founded by Emma Willard. The district was listed for its well-preserved streetscape, architectural quality, and ties to the city's educational, governmental, commercial and cultural life.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the district has kept its historical appearance and character to a remarkable degree. Its townhouses and larger buildings are of high design and construction quality, many by leading architects such as George B. Post, T. F. Schneider, Barney and Chapman, and Marcus F. Cummings. The buildings and open spaces also reflect Troy's educational, governmental, commercial and cultural development.
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 74001299, listed August 7, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Both sides of 2nd St., Troy |
|---|---|
| County | Rensselaer County |
| Listed | August 7, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74001299 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | George B. Post; Marcus F. Cummings and Frederick M. Cummings; T. F. Schneider; Barney and Chapman |
| Areas of significance | Landscape Architecture, Commerce, Education, Politics/Government, Architecture, Performing Arts |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Largely intact, with many townhouses converted to offices and apartments; condition marked excellent, good and fair; some buildings occupied by Russell Sage College and county government. |
| Acreage | 20 |
| Within district | River Street Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.73146, -73.69402 (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 74001299.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q130236678
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.