Rockwell 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
Standing on a prominent corner at West Main and Lewis Streets in Dryden, this two-story Italianate house was built between about 1860 and 1866. Its wood frame is covered in narrow clapboards, and it has a three-by-three-bay main block with a two-by-two-bay rear wing under low hipped roofs. Wide overhanging eaves rest on large paired S-shaped brackets, and the two-over-two windows have decorative entablature heads. A one-story porch with carved braces, panelled posts and a wooden balustrade marks the main entrance. The house was built by Darius Givens, regarded as one of Dryden's best carpenter-builders, for E. Rockwell, who owned and operated the village woolen mill. It is considered one of the three finest Italianate residences in the village and reflects the prosperity that followed the Civil War. A nineteenth-century board-and-batten barn or carriage house on the property also contributes to the site's character.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be one of the finest Italianate residences in Dryden, with well-proportioned and finely executed details such as paired S-shaped brackets and entablature window heads. It was built for E. Rockwell, owner and operator of the village woolen mill, and reflects the prosperity of the post-Civil War era. It is one of the three finest Italianate examples in the village.
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 84003192, listed June 8, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 52 W. Main St., Dryden |
|---|---|
| County | Tompkins County |
| Listed | June 8, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84003192 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; builder Darius Givens |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Private home in excellent condition, with no known threats; original site retained. A gazebo was removed in the early 1970s and a front window was converted to a second entrance. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.49061, -76.30238 (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 84003192.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7355673
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.