Queen's Castle
Why it's listed
Queen's Castle is a one-story, roughly square rustic camp building on the shore of Seneca Lake in Lodi. Built around 1881 and designed by locally prominent Arthur Nash, it has a steeply pitched hipped roof whose flared eaves form a surrounding verandah, supported by tree trunks. The frame walls are sheathed in diagonal planks, and a stone chimney is decorated with geodes from the lake. Inside, the rafters and studs are left exposed around a large stone fireplace. The building is the sole survivor of Camp Fossenvue, a summer retreat begun in 1875 by young women from politically liberal Geneva families, among them Anne Fitzhugh Miller. Campers rejected quiet, ladylike pastimes for vigorous exercise and serious discussion, a radical approach for the era. Visitors included Susan B. Anthony. Later the point became part of a Boy Scout camp, and the land is now national forest. The building is significant for its link to the women's rights movement and as an example of rustic camp architecture.
Significance in brief: It is tied to the women's rights movement through Camp Fossenvue, a summer retreat founded in 1875 where young women pursued vigorous physical and intellectual activities that were considered shocking at the time. It is also a representative example of a late nineteenth-century rustic camp building, built of native materials and designed to blend with its setting.
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 99000564, listed June 1, 1999. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | NY 414, Lodi |
|---|---|
| County | Seneca County |
| Listed | June 1, 1999 |
| Reference number | 99000564 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1881 - 1901 |
| Architect / builder | Arthur Nash |
| Architectural style | Late nineteenth century: Vernacular |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Entertainment/Recreation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as vacant; windows are boarded up, and preliminary plans for restoration are underway. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.55097, -76.88146 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 99000564.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7269942
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.