Clinton, Morris, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1881 on the Clinton family farm in Newark Valley, this L-shaped, two-and-one-half-story farmhouse was planned by its owner, Morris Clinton. He wanted bright rooms, a central staircase giving access to every second-floor room without passing through others, and a spacious attic under a steep roof. The house has clapboard siding, a brick and fieldstone foundation, cedar shingles, decorative trusswork in its gables, small oculus windows and a bay on the front facade. The plan, an engraving and a description appeared in Moore's Rural New Yorker in 1882, and they show that the house has changed very little. Inside, the original floor plan, moldings, plaster, wainscoting, doors and built-in cupboards survive. It is one of four similar late nineteenth-century houses in the area and retains the most period integrity. It was listed for its architecture. The surviving outbuildings across the road were not counted as contributing to its significance.
Significance in brief: The house is significant under Criterion C as an intact, representative example of late nineteenth-century progressive farmhouse design in Newark Valley. Clinton drew his own plan for light rooms, a central stair and a large attic, and the design was published in an agricultural journal in 1882. It retains an unusually high degree of exterior and interior integrity.
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 98000162, listed March 16, 1998. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 225 Zimmer Rd., Newark Valley |
|---|---|
| County | Tioga County |
| Listed | March 16, 1998 |
| Reference number | 98000162 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1881 |
| Architect / builder | Morris Clinton |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single-family dwelling. The dairy barn and silo have collapsed, and only a few outbuildings remain standing, some partially. |
| Acreage | 25 |
| Coordinates | 42.21109, -76.18004 (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 98000162.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6913646
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.