Van Dyne Civic Building
Also known as: The Court House
Why it's listed
Built in 1894 as a courthouse for the western portion of Bradford County, this two and one-half story structure in Troy is fifty feet wide and eighty four feet deep. It has a cut stone foundation and red common bond brick walls, with two conical-roofed tourelles at the front corners, belt courses of metal, a slate roof and a recessed main entrance under a semi-circular arch. The second floor held the courtroom, while the ground floor housed the National Mutual Relief Insurance Company and the First National Bank of Troy. After court sessions ended in 1923, E. Everitt Van Dyne had the building refurbished as a community civic center, and a library established in 1912 moved into it. The post office later occupied the former bank space. Its importance rests mainly on its architecture, which combines several Victorian styles, including Gothic, Italianate, Chateauesque and Romanesque influences, in a single building of the late nineteenth century.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building's significance lies in its architecture, specifically its eclectic mix of Victorian styles typical of the late nineteenth century. It cites Gothic, Italianate, Chateauesque and Romanesque influences in its gables, cornice, tourelles and main entrance arch. The document also notes its historical importance to the local 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 74001754, listed January 21, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Main and Elmira Sts., Troy |
|---|---|
| County | Bradford County |
| Listed | January 21, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74001754 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
| Architectural style | Eclectic Victorian, combining Victorian Gothic, Italianate (Tuscan Revival), Chateauesque and Romanesque (H.H. Richardson) influences |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Court sessions ended in 1923; the building was later refurbished as a civic center and the post office occupied space formerly used by the bank. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.78639, -76.78588 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 74001754.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16902483
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.