Austin, William, House
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Built in 1870 on a corner lot at Seneca and Bradley Streets in Trumansburg, this brick house is a fashionable example of Second Empire design. It has a 2½-story main block with a rear wing, a slate-clad Mansard roof with dormers, broad bracketed eaves, iron window lintels and a sweeping verandah with its own Mansard roof. Inside, original room layouts, Victorian woodwork, original staircases and four marble fireplaces with Eastlake-inspired details survive. William Austin, a Civil War lieutenant colonel and later a prominent village lawyer, built it for his wife and five daughters. After his death in 1909 and his wife's in 1919, the house passed to their daughters and later to several families, and was leased to tenants from 1951 to 1969. Some interior deterioration came from neglect, and restoration began after a 2001 purchase. The house was listed for its architecture as an intact, representative Victorian-era dwelling in the village.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be an outstanding example of Second Empire domestic architecture in Trumansburg. It has a slate-clad Mansard roof, polychrome masonry, asymmetrical massing and elaborate Victorian ornamentation. It was built for William Austin, a Civil War veteran and prominent local lawyer.
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 02000798, listed July 19, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 34 Seneca St., Trumansburg |
|---|---|
| County | Tompkins County |
| Listed | July 19, 2002 |
| Reference number | 02000798 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1870 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Late 19th century: Second Empire |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The form describes the house as neglected, with some interior deterioration. The current owner bought it in January 2001 and is restoring it, particularly the interior. It remains in use as a single dwelling. |
| Acreage | 0.7 |
| Coordinates | 42.54442, -76.66667 (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 02000798.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8004717
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.