Ball, Stephen, House
Why it's listed
Built probably around 1849 on the southern edge of Berkshire hamlet in Tioga County, this two-story frame house is a temple-form Greek Revival residence. Its four-pier portico has square piers with recessed panels and a full entablature that continues across the front and side elevations. The facade has four bays, clapboard siding, six-over-six double-hung windows and mostly original louvered blinds. A single-story kitchen and carriage or wood shed wing extends behind the main block. A Victorian pent roof shelters a side entrance. The house is one of only two of its type in the town and survives virtually unaltered. Stephen Ball, a son of an early settler family, farmed, ran a brickyard from 1827 to about 1836, and built the house after selling a nearby tavern stand. It is the most distinguished of at least seven Ball-related houses nearby. The property stayed in family hands until 1980 and still serves as a residence.
Significance in brief: It is an intact, representative example of a two-story temple-form Greek Revival residence, one of only two of this type in the town of Berkshire. It keeps the type's distinctive features and survives virtually unaltered. It is also the most important and architecturally distinguished of at least seven houses associated with the early-settling Ball family.
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 84003077, listed July 2, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Main St., Berkshire |
|---|---|
| County | Tioga County |
| Listed | July 2, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84003077 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival (temple-form) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a residence; condition rated fair on the inventory form, with a modern non-contributing garage and shed on the property. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 42.30111, -76.18710 (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 84003077.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7608641
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.