Oswegatchie Pumping Station
Why it's listed
Built in 1868 on the eastern bank of the Oswegatchie River in Ogdensburg, this limestone pumping station supplied the city's first public water system. The two-story square pump house has a tower projection at each corner, walls about twenty-four inches thick, a hipped metal roof, and a seven-room superintendent's apartment upstairs. Additions followed in 1897, designed by architect A.A. Paquette to match the original stonework and house steam and turbine equipment, and in 1912, when a small concrete wing held a hydroelectric generator. A concrete dam from 1910, trash racks, head gates and a tailrace complete the site. The station was the city's only water source until 1912, when a filtration plant on the St. Lawrence River took over, and it continued in a supporting role until 1974. Turbines, a centrifugal pump, a generator and control gauges remain in place. The property is listed for its role in the city's growth and as a rare surviving example of a nineteenth century municipal waterworks.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the station is historically significant for its role in Ogdensburg's growth after the city was chartered in 1868, when it was the sole source of the city's water until 1912. It is also architecturally and mechanically significant as a rare, intact late nineteenth century municipal pumping station in northern New York, retaining much of its historic machinery.
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 90000816, listed June 11, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Mechanic St. N of Lafayette St., Ogdensburg |
|---|---|
| County | St. Lawrence County |
| Listed | June 11, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000816 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1868 - 1940 |
| Architect / builder | Original building unknown; 1897 additions by A.A. Paquette, architect |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Operated as a pumping station until 1974; current function listed as vacant/not in use. |
| Acreage | 1.9 |
| Coordinates | 44.69155, -75.49198 (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 90000816.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7108212
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.