Bement-Billings House
Why it's listed
Located about a mile north of Newark Valley in Tioga County, New York, this farmhouse started as a one-room home built by settler Asa Bement around 1796 after he moved his family from Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Over the next eight decades it was enlarged in stages: a southern and western expansion with a second story between 1810 and 1832, a Greek Revival addition around 1840, and a summer kitchen wing in 1880. The result is a fifteen-room house with Federal moldings, Greek Revival woodwork, hand-hewn beams, wrought-iron latches and a beehive oven. The house was listed because it shows how a settlement-era farm dwelling grew with its family's fortunes and changing tastes. Bement also ran a blacksmith shop and sawmill that helped develop the town. After standing empty from the 1950s, the house was restored in 1977 and now serves as a museum on the five acres that remain of the original farm, which also holds several relocated or reconstructed farm buildings.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is a representative, highly intact example of a nineteenth-century vernacular farmhouse in central New York, showing staged expansion over about a hundred years. It displays changing styles from Federal to Greek Revival and early New England construction practices. It is also tied to Asa Bement, one of Newark Valley's original settlers, and to the area's early settlement and commercial development.
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 90000002, listed February 19, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | NY 38, N of Newark Valley, Newark Valley |
|---|---|
| County | Tioga County |
| Listed | February 19, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000002 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1796-1880 |
| Architect / builder | Asa Bement |
| Architectural style | Federal/Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Empty and deteriorating between the 1950s and 1977; restored beginning in 1977 and now used as a museum. |
| Acreage | 5 |
| Coordinates | 42.23609, -76.17885 (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 90000002.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4885087
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.