Royce, J. B., House and Farm Complex
Why it's listed
This farm complex on Route 38 in the Town of Berkshire, Tioga County, includes a two-story clapboard farmhouse, a barn, a shed and a small outbuilding now used as a garage. The house is believed to have been built after 1829 in a vernacular Greek Revival form. Around 1850 it was altered with a higher, steeper roof and an ell-shaped Gothic Revival porch with Tudor-arched details. Small eyebrow windows with grilles survive on the upper story. The board-and-batten barn is unaltered except for two lean-tos and is the only intact barn in the township with decorated bargeboards. The garage is a Greek Revival building that was probably an office or store moved from the hamlet. Maps from 1855 and 1869 show J.B. Royce owning the farm. The property was listed as a largely intact picture of a typical mid-nineteenth-century Berkshire farm. Its remodelled house reflects the agricultural prosperity of the 1850s, and its continued use as a working farm preserves its original function.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as a largely intact example of a typical Berkshire farm of 1825-1875. The farmhouse is one of only two in the township showing Gothic Revival influence on vernacular houses, and the barn is one of the finest mid-century barns remaining, and the only intact one with decorated bargeboards. A reviewer noted that significance under criterion A rests on the agricultural history the farm represents.
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 84003111, listed July 2, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | NY 38, Berkshire |
|---|---|
| County | Tioga County |
| Listed | July 2, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84003111 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1825-1875 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular Greek Revival with Gothic Revival alterations (c. 1850) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still a residence and working farm; condition listed as fair, and no threats are known. |
| Acreage | 50 |
| Coordinates | 42.32806, -76.17996 (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 84003111.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6104740
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.