Southworth House
Why it's listed
Just north of the main crossroads in Dryden village, the house at 14 North Street was built in 1836 by John Southworth, who made the bricks on the site. The two-story Federal style building has a brick west wing and a three-bay heavy timber frame east wing with clapboard siding. Original twelve-over-twelve windows, a deep cornice with returns, and fan-shaped gable windows mark its period. Inside, a mahogany staircase with carved detailing and a parlor with French-imported wallpaper from about 1836 survive. Porches, new siding on the frame wing, plumbing, wiring and heating were added in the twentieth century. Southworth came to Dryden with his family in 1806, became a successful farmer and merchant, and was among the village's first millionaires. His granddaughter Jennie McGraw-Fiske donated the Southworth Library. The house is the only brick Federal structure left in the village and retains its landscaped lawn and residential character beside the commercial center. A nineteenth-century barn also survives on the property.
Significance in brief: It is one of few remaining Federal style structures in Dryden village and the only one built of brick. Southworth also built the altered brick store at 1 West Main Street in 1836, and the two are among the area's first masonry buildings. The house keeps a high degree of exterior and interior integrity and is tied to Dryden's earliest settlers.
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 84003193, listed June 8, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 14 North St., Dryden |
|---|---|
| County | Tompkins County |
| Listed | June 8, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84003193 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | John Southworth (builder) |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Private home in its original use, in good condition, with no known threats. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 42.49228, -76.29743 (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 84003193.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7571504
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.