Waits Methodist Episcopal Church and Cemetery
Why it's listed
Set on a hillside on Waite Road in the Town of Owego, this one-and-a-half-story wood church and its small adjoining cemetery are the last surviving nineteenth-century structures of the farming hamlet of Waits. Built in 1853 on an acre donated by Henry Wait, Jr., the church follows a design attributed to Henry Dunham and a Mr. Orcutt. It is a vernacular Greek Revival meeting house with a pedimented front gable, Doric corner pilasters, a wide molded frieze and a shouldered entrance surround. A small bell tower rises from the roof ridge. Inside, a balcony was converted to a dining area for the Ladies Aid Society during repairs in 1866, and the interior remains largely intact. The congregation used the building until 1960, and the Waits Cemetery Association has cared for it since. The cemetery holds Civil War veterans and Henry Wait, who founded the settlement in 1819. The property was listed for its tie to the hamlet's development and for its architecture.
Significance in brief: The church is argued to be significant under Criterion A for its link to the growth of the small agricultural hamlet of Waits, and under Criterion C as a largely unaltered example of vernacular Greek Revival architecture. It is the only surviving nineteenth-century building in a hamlet that has otherwise vanished. The cemetery holds the grave of Henry Wait, the community's founder.
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 00001290, listed November 20, 2000. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Waite Rd., Owego |
|---|---|
| County | Tioga County |
| Listed | November 20, 2000 |
| Reference number | 00001290 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1853-1866 |
| Architect / builder | Dunham, Henry; Orcutt |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century; Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Retired from active religious service in 1960; maintained by the Waits Cemetery Association and used for special events that draw the local community. The interior is described as relatively intact. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.00759, -76.26861 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
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 00001290.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7960646
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.