Collins, Nathaniel Bishop, House
.jpg){kind=link}
Why it's listed
Set at the north edge of the hamlet of Berkshire in Tioga County, New York, this two-story, five-bay brick house was built around 1830 on a stone foundation. Nathaniel Bishop Collins, son of Samuel and Betsey Bishop Collins of Guilford, Connecticut, built it on the site of the family's first Berkshire home, a log house dating to about 1799. The brick likely came from the Ball brickyard, which began production in 1827. The Federal style design features an elliptically arched entrance with sidelights, a matching arched opening and tripartite window above, stone lintels, and a delicate cornice with mutules. Two principal first-floor rooms keep original woodwork. By 1865 the property passed to Davidge, Horton & Co. with the Berkshire Tannery, and the house became an overseer's residence. A mid-nineteenth-century carriage barn, a lean-to shed, and an early twentieth-century chicken house remain, showing the farmstead's later shift to poultry farming.
Significance in brief: The house is considered a late but distinguished example of Federal style architecture with exceptional exterior detailing, including elliptically arched openings and an attenuated cornice with mutules. Its outbuildings form a grouping that reflects the property's agricultural role and later evolution into a poultry farm. Its late appearance reflects the isolation of Berkshire in the early nineteenth century.
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 84003096, listed July 2, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | NY 38, Berkshire |
|---|---|
| County | Tioga County |
| Listed | July 2, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84003096 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; builder unknown (house built by Nathaniel Bishop Collins) |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a private residence; condition listed as good; no threats known. |
| Acreage | 2.3 |
| Coordinates | 42.31132, -76.18401 (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 84003096.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6969507
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.