Belcher-Holden Farm
Why it's listed
This farm on the west side of Route 38 in Newark Valley has been worked since at least 1820, and possibly earlier. The nominated 5.7 acres hold every surviving building of a farm that once covered as many as 222 acres: a two-story Federal-style house from about 1810-1820, a heavy-timber barn built in 1898 from the materials of three earlier barns, a late nineteenth-century granary, a small chicken house and a metal silo. The house is notable for its carved front entrance with four pilasters, an oval sunburst motif and a stepped cornice, along with a fanlight in the gable and fluted interior moldings. The barn incorporates a three-bay English barn that may date to the early nineteenth century. Jonathan Belcher probably started the farm and bought the land in 1820. Hiram Holden acquired it in 1875, and the Holden family kept it until 1992. The farm is valued as an intact, representative nineteenth-century farm complex.
Significance in brief: The farm is significant for architecture as an intact, representative example of a nineteenth-century farm complex in Newark Valley. Its Federal-style farmhouse and early, though modified, English barn keep a high degree of period integrity. The late nineteenth-century granary also retains its form and materials. The complex is tied to the town's settlement and agricultural development contexts.
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 97001486, listed December 15, 1997. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 5825 NY 38, Newark Valley |
|---|---|
| County | Tioga County |
| Listed | December 15, 1997 |
| Reference number | 97001486 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1810-1947 |
| Architectural style | Early Republic/Federal |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The house is still used as a single dwelling. The farm was reduced from as many as 222 acres to the current 5.7-acre parcel, which includes every surviving building of the farm complex. |
| Acreage | 5.7 |
| Coordinates | 42.19108, -76.20446 (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 97001486.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4882049
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.