Gold Seal Winery
Also known as: Urbana Wine Company
Why it's listed
Gold Seal Winery is a hillside complex on the west shore of Keuka Lake, north of Hammondsport. Its core is a three-story stone Italianate building from 1865-66, built into the slope so barrel-vaulted cellars stay cool and goods move easily downhill through production. Over time it gained stone, concrete and steel additions, a separate stone brandy distillery, a concrete pomace house and a hillside reservoir. Founded as the Urbana Wine Company, it was the second winery bonded in New York State. It made Imperial champagne with French-trained winemakers, adopted the Gold Seal trademark in 1887, and survived Prohibition by producing sacramental and medicinal wines. Charles Fournier later brought French-American hybrid grapes to the Finger Lakes, and Dr. Konstantin Frank was hired in 1953. The property was listed for its role in agriculture and industry and as a well-preserved example of traditional winery design. The complex is now vacant.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the winery is significant for agriculture and industry as the second winery bonded in New York State, and as the winery known for introducing European vinifera grapes to the Finger Lakes. It is also significant as an excellent example of winery design, with a hillside-built Italianate core and later additions showing industry evolution.
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 10000946, listed November 28, 2010. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | West Lake Rd, Hammondsport |
|---|---|
| County | Steuben County |
| Listed | November 28, 2010 |
| Reference number | 10000946 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1865-1960 |
| Architectural style | Italianate; French Second Empire |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Industry, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current function is listed as vacant. The form notes that the reservoir roofing has deteriorated and that some distillery windows are boarded up. |
| Acreage | 23.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.45896, -77.18411 (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 10000946.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5578850
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.