Wilson, Aaron, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1835, this two-story, five-bay, center-hall farmhouse sits on Wilson Road in Ovid, Seneca County. Its walls are roughly hewn, random-course fieldstone from a local quarry, under a gable roof with a wide wood entablature. Windows have six-over-six sash with stone sills and lintels, and the front entrance has a massive stone lintel, paneled reveals and sidelights. Aaron Wilson, son of early settler Joseph Wilson, acquired 100 acres in 1835 and began construction soon after. The land had earlier been part of a Revolutionary War military lot. The farm stayed in the Wilson family until 1941. A late nineteenth and early twentieth century dairy barn, a machine shed with corn crib, and a pump house remain nearby. The house is valued as an unusually large and finely crafted vernacular version of high-style Federal and Greek Revival design, and the 187-acre farmed landscape reflects the region's agricultural heritage. Interior changes have been made, but the exterior remains largely intact.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be an outstanding, remarkably intact example of early nineteenth-century late Federal/early Greek Revival domestic architecture in Seneca County, built of locally quarried fieldstone. It is also significant for agriculture, as the farm and its surrounding land remain actively farmed and reflect the county's rural agrarian heritage.
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 01000577, listed May 30, 2001. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2037 Wilson Rd., Ovid |
|---|---|
| County | Seneca County |
| Listed | May 30, 2001 |
| Reference number | 01000577 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1835 - ca. 1950 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Early-19th Century: Federal (late Federal/early Greek Revival) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single-family dwelling; most of the 187 acres is still farmed. The interior has been altered, and the frame wing is non-contributing. |
| Acreage | 187 |
| Coordinates | 42.64780, -76.83132 (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.
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 01000577.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4662551
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.