Ford, James, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1831 by Stephan Potter, this two-and-a-half story brick house in Lawrenceville stands on land tied to the town's early growth. James Ford had it constructed for his son Charles. The original section has a long hall, two main rooms on the first floor, three bedrooms above and an attic, with six-over-six sash windows, a full-width porch with fluted Ionic columns, and a semi-elliptical entrance with a fan light. The rear kitchen wing was raised to two stories and extended in 1920, when the wall between the sections was removed. Ford bought land on the Cowanesque River in 1816, opened a store in the town he named Lawrence, and built a lumber mill, a flour mill and a hotel and business block. He also served in the State Legislature and in Congress, and helped start the first local newspaper in 1840 and the Lawrenceville Academy in 1848. The house is valued for its architecture and for its link to Ford and his family.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an excellent example of later Federal architecture on the frontier, with its original section well preserved despite slight alterations. It also cites its historical connection to James Ford, a merchant, lumberman, state legislator and congressman who founded the town's business base and helped establish the local newspaper and academy.
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 75001667, listed December 6, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Cowanesque St., Lawrenceville |
|---|---|
| County | Tioga County |
| Listed | December 6, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75001667 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1831 |
| Architect / builder | Stephan Potter (builder) |
| Architectural style | Later Federal |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 41.99625, -77.12859 (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 75001667.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6134066
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.