Grooms Tavern Complex
Why it's listed
Three buildings at the crossroads of Sugar Hill Road and Grooms Road in Grooms Corners, town of Clifton Park, make up this complex: a tavern, a wagon and blacksmith shop, and a privy. The timber-framed tavern was built about 1825 as a 1 1/2-story Federal structure and raised to two full stories in the late 1840s with Greek Revival details. It served travellers, then became a general store and post office, and a hand-cranked gasoline pump from about 1915 still stands on its porch. On April 1, 1828, representatives met in the tavern to establish the town government of Clifton Park, and the town board continued to meet there periodically until 1868. Samuel Groom built the wagon and blacksmith shop next door in the late 1840s as a related business. The Groom family ran the store until 1923, and commercial use continued until 1988. Both principal buildings are now vacant, but they retain much of their historic fabric and character.
Significance in brief: The complex is significant under Criteria A and C as a substantially intact rural crossroads commercial center tied to the development of Clifton Park. The tavern hosted the 1828 meeting that established the town's government, and the buildings show vernacular building practice and local craft-based trade in Saratoga County. It is described as a rare survivor amid dense suburban 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 00000094, listed February 10, 2000. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Sugar Hill Rd. at Grooms Rd., Grooms Corners |
|---|---|
| County | Saratoga County |
| Listed | February 10, 2000 |
| Reference number | 00000094 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1825-1930s |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century Greek Revival; Early Republic/Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Both main buildings are vacant; the tavern and store stayed in commercial use until 1988. |
| Acreage | 1.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.83484, -73.84415 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 00000094.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5610274
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.