Hamot, Pierre S. V., House
Why it's listed
Built between 1827 and 1831 on French Street in downtown Erie, this two-story brick house was commissioned by merchant Pierre S.V. Hamot and laid up by Peter Growotz, a German immigrant who was the first brick mason registered in the city. The house has three bays on its French Street facade, a symmetrical plan, and a low-pitched gable roof. Its walls are twelve inches thick, laid in common bond on a blue stone foundation. Two additions in the 1870s extended the rear ell, and the main house remains clearly distinguishable from them. The house is regarded as the oldest surviving brick residence in Erie, and its plainer, workmanlike character sets it apart from the more refined Federal houses elsewhere in Erie County. It was listed for its value as a representative vernacular example of early 19th-century brick housing.
Significance in brief: The house is regarded as the earliest surviving brick residence in the City of Erie and a representative example of vernacular early 19th-century brick housing with Federal-style features. Its simple, symmetrical design and solid construction are cited as its main architectural qualities, and the nomination notes it is the only surviving example of this vernacular type in Erie.
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 91001707, listed November 14, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 302 French St., Erie |
|---|---|
| County | Erie County |
| Listed | November 14, 1991 |
| Reference number | 91001707 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1827-1831 |
| Architect / builder | Peter Growotz (mason) |
| Architectural style | Vernacular Federal Style |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Rehabilitated for office use by the Second Century Foundation; the document states it had been vacant for approximately 20 years before rehabilitation. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.13231, -80.08603 (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 91001707.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7192434
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.