Gates, Seth M., House
Why it's listed
Built around 1824 for Horace Hollister, a carriage and sleigh maker, this two-story frame house on Perry Avenue in Warsaw began as a five-bay, center-hall Federal dwelling. After Seth M. Gates acquired it in 1843, a two-bay wing was added to the north and the front entrance was remodeled in Greek Revival style, while the Federal character was kept elsewhere. Gates was an abolitionist who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1838 to 1842 and later served as Warsaw's postmaster. In 1893 the Society of Village Works bought the house and used it for relief work, a kindergarten, industrial schools and club meetings. The Daughters of the American Revolution took over in 1924, and the Warsaw Historical Society has operated it as a local history museum since 1938. The exterior remains largely intact, and the south end keeps its original room layout and woodwork. It is valued for its architecture, its social history and its educational role.
Significance in brief: It is presented as a distinctive example of early nineteenth century domestic architecture, combining Federal form with Greek Revival entrance details, and as a rare surviving settlement-period building in Warsaw. It is also tied to the Society of Village Works, the town's first major philanthropic and social service agency, and later became the local history museum.
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 92000031, listed February 21, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 15 Perry Ave., Warsaw |
|---|---|
| County | Wyoming County |
| Listed | February 21, 1992 |
| Reference number | 92000031 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1824 - 1938 |
| Architect / builder | Horace Hollister (original owner/builder, ca. 1824); builder listed as unknown on the form |
| Architectural style | Mid-Nineteenth Century; Greek Revival (with Federal origins) |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently used as a museum and civic space, serving as the headquarters of the Warsaw Historical Society. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.74075, -78.13486 (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 92000031.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7456543
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.