Wait, F. W., House
Why it's listed
Built around 1876 at 173-175 Ridge Street in Glens Falls, this two and one-half story brick house was the home of Frank W. Wait, a lime manufacturer and partner in the Jointa Lime Company. It has a slate mansard roof, a three-bay side-hall plan, and a projecting entrance pavilion ending in an engaged tower. A bracketed portico shelters the double entrance doors and supports an oriel with a pediment. Modillion cornices on paired brackets, flat-arched window lintels, porches and elaborate dormers survive. The house was divided into apartments in the 1940s, yet original doors, moldings and a staircase remain inside. Its design draws on the 1873 pattern book Architectural Details by Marcus F. Cummings, and it is one of only three Cummings-influenced residences in the city judged to retain enough integrity for listing. Wait helped organize a trade association promoting Glens Falls lime, an industry second only to lumber in the city's growth.
Significance in brief: It is argued to be an intact representative example of a transitional Italianate-Second Empire residence based on 1870s pattern-book designs. Its decorative details reflect Architectural Details, a 1873 pattern book by regional architect Marcus F. Cummings. Wait was a prominent lime industry leader, and the lime industry was second only to lumber in Glens Falls' economic growth.
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 84003422, listed September 29, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 173-175 Ridge St., Glens Falls |
|---|---|
| County | Warren County |
| Listed | September 29, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84003422 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect and builder listed as unknown; design based on pattern-book designs by Marcus F. Cummings |
| Architectural style | Transitional Italianate-Second Empire |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Converted to apartments around 1940 and used as multi-family residential; a garage was demolished around 1970. Interior retains original doors, moldings and staircase. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 43.31660, -73.63074 (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 84003422.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5424086
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.