Bitley, Thomas, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1855 on the west side of Lake Street in Jerusalem, near Branchport, this two-story brick house is a rural example of Italianate design in Yates County. The main block is cubic and three bays by three, set on a fieldstone foundation under a low hipped roof topped by a balustrade. Paired, scroll-sawn brackets support broad overhanging eaves, and a veranda with chamfered posts spans the front. The entrance has double-leaf doors under a fanlight, and the windows have stone sills and lintels. One-and-a-half-story and single-story rear wings appear original. Inside, the original plan of formal front rooms and common rear rooms survives, along with plaster walls, wood moldings, mantels, paneled doors and the stair. The house was listed for its architecture, as an outstanding regional example of a style that was widespread in the county between 1845 and 1880. It keeps strong integrity of design, materials and setting.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an outstanding regional example of Italianate residential architecture in Yates County. It shows the style's typical features, including cubic massing, a balustrade, bracketed eaves, a low hipped roof and ornate porches. It also keeps a high degree of integrity and is described as an important local architectural landmark.
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 94000928, listed August 24, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Lake St., Jerusalem |
|---|---|
| County | Yates County |
| Listed | August 24, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94000928 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca.1855 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian/Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Historic and current use is a single dwelling; the form describes it as substantially intact from its period of construction. |
| Acreage | 1.4 |
| Coordinates | 42.59251, -77.15244 (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 94000928.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7787657
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.