Hoster, William, House
Why it's listed
This brick farmhouse on NY 414 in Fayette, Seneca County, sits on a ridge above a 135-acre farm that is still cultivated. The two-story, four-bay main block was probably built in the 1830s in the Federal style, with stone lintels, sills and an off-center entrance with a segmentally arched stone surround. During the 1850s and 1860s William Hoster remodeled it in the Italianate manner, adding a low hipped roof with bracketed eaves, an octagonal cupola, floor-length first-floor windows and a front porch, since lost. A frame rear wing was added later in the nineteenth century. A corncrib is the only surviving outbuilding of a larger farm complex. The house has been largely unoccupied since 1960 and has suffered neglect and vandalism, yet much original fabric survives. It was listed for its architecture, as a locally representative blend of Federal and Italianate design, and for its link to the agricultural history of the area.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an outstanding local example of rural domestic architecture, combining a late Federal core with Italianate remodeling features such as a cupola and bracketed eaves. It is also significant under Criterion A for its association with agriculture, since the farm and surrounding setting remain actively farmed.
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 02001662, listed December 31, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 3832 NY 414, Fayette |
|---|---|
| County | Seneca County |
| Listed | December 31, 2002 |
| Reference number | 02001662 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1830s - ca. 1900 |
| Architectural style | Early 19th Century: Federal; Mid-19th Century: Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The house is vacant and moderately deteriorated after vandalism, though described as structurally sound; the farmland is leased and cultivated. |
| Acreage | 135 |
| Coordinates | 42.83956, -76.81194 (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.
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 02001662.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14707784
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.