Farrand-Pierson House
Why it's listed
This two-story frame house at 441 Brown Road, north of Newark Valley village, shows how a modest farmhouse could be remodeled in the Greek Revival style. The front section dates to about 1860 and is T-shaped in plan, with a front-gabled central block, a recessed porch with square columns and one-story wings on each side. Open returns, frieze bands and corner pilasters add classical detail. The rear wing probably preserves an earlier timber-frame house, which replaced a log cabin reportedly built for David S. Farrand and his wife Mary after they settled here around 1798. State census values suggest the front section was added between 1855 and 1865 under Lucia Farrand Pierson and her husband William. The property also includes a small barn, hog house and chicken house. Its recessed-porch form is unusual in the area. It was listed for architectural significance as an intact, representative example of Greek Revival residential construction in Newark Valley.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be an intact, representative example of Greek Revival residential architecture in Newark Valley, listed under Criterion C. Its symmetrical facade, recessed porch with square columns forming a modified temple front, open returns, frieze bands and corner pilasters are characteristic of the style. Its form, a main block with a recessed porch flanked by two smaller wings, is described as unique among Newark Valley houses.
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 97001490, listed December 15, 1997. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 441 Brown Rd., Newark Valley |
|---|---|
| County | Tioga County |
| Listed | December 15, 1997 |
| Reference number | 97001490 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1830-ca. 1900 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century/Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a single dwelling; the interior has been altered since 1950, and a large barn has been lost. |
| Acreage | 4.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.26960, -76.17391 (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 97001490.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5436232
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.