Woodworth, Abner, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1830 for Abner Woodworth, this two-story farmhouse on Flat Street in Benton, Yates County, is a well-preserved example of Greek Revival design. It sits on a 24-acre parcel surrounded by open farmland and scattered homes. The rectangular, wood-clapboard house rests on a stone foundation and has a low gabled roof with pedimented gables, a boxed cornice and a wide frieze. A central entrance with sidelights and pilasters sits beneath a one-story portico. Inside, the center-hall plan survives with plaster walls, wood moldings, paneled doors, a turned-baluster stair and mantels. A one-and-one-half-story carriage barn, built about 1847, also remains. Woodworth inherited the land from his father, Elisha, who bought it in 1798. Abner served as a Justice of the Peace for 24 years, was elected Yates County Clerk, and ran unsuccessfully for Congress as a Whig in 1842. The property is recognized for its architecture and as a local landmark.
Significance in brief: It is a representative and highly intact example of Greek Revival residential architecture in Yates County, with features such as rectangular massing, pedimented gables, a broad frieze, a tripartite entrance and a center-hall double-pile plan. The surviving mid-nineteenth-century carriage barn adds to its importance. It is also a local landmark recalling the nineteenth-century development of the area.
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 94000969, listed August 24, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Flat St., Benton |
|---|---|
| County | Yates County |
| Listed | August 24, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94000969 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca.1830 - ca.1847 |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century/Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling; the interior is described as highly intact, with a modern porch added around 1941. |
| Acreage | 24 |
| Coordinates | 42.69174, -77.05356 (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 94000969.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4668163
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.