Romantic Victorian Homes & Guided group, individual, motor coach step on guide available, Victorian Architecture Elmira, NY Historic Near Westside Neighborhood.

 

 

351 West Water Street

circa 1915

Palladian window featuring an oversized keystone higlights the gambrel gable.

This house is located on land owned in 1876 by John McNeil, salesman. The first listed occupant is Ernest M. Brannan in 1917. He was with Hogg Lyon Co, known today as the Hogg Nichols Co., plumbing and heating. Other occupants of the house have included: Belle Lambert,operator of the Little Emboidery Shop: C. Kenneth Noakes, osteopath: John Front, proprietor of the Sanitary Meat Market; and Henry Kelley, real estate and insurance. The house is now used as an apartment house.

 

402 West Water Street

circa 1852

Greek Revival style (large)

This house  was Lot #1 on the thirty acre Davis farm. It is believed to be built by John Davis, a farmer and stage coach owner. Subseque3nt owners were Isaac Baldwin, mill owner and builder of an early tannery and Dan Builder,  very infljuential in the building of the Chemunc Canal. In 1905 Warren Beck bought the house and he and his family lived there until 1956. Mr. Beck was the patentee of a notched carbon copy which became the American Sales Book Co., Inc.. This is now a part of Moore Business Forms.

SPRING AT

 Water Steet 418    circa 1924

520 West Water Street THE PAINTED LADY and many of the historic homes on West Water Street are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This building is a superb example of Second Empire architecture built in 1875. Revel in the grand scale of the Victorian mindset, as you relax in this elegant mansion adorned with stained glass, crystal chandeliers, silk-lined walls and ceilings, and magnificent woodwork.

Financier Wilber W. Fish moved into this handsome home in 1879, four years after its construction, and his son, Edwin, lived here until 1945. One owner later in 1972, the Frandsen family purchased the home and began restoration and upgrading of the interior which took twelve years. The "Painted Ladies" series of books inspired the choice of polychrome for the exterior, and when the slate roof was refinished, red tiles were inserted with new curved-to-match gray tiles from the New York-Vermont border.

The Molisani family purchased the home in 1998 and converted it back from a four unit apartment building to a single-family home once again. Major renovations and cosmetic work were completed to prepare the home to become The Painted Lady Bed & Breakfast. 

The B&B's current owners, Laurie & Dorian Desmarais, took over operations in August of 2003, and have completed several new projects including construction of a new guestroom, installation of period wall-coverings throughout the inn.

 Water Steet 531    circa 1929

Colonial Revival Spanish Mission style

In 1876, the property for this house belonged to J.S. Smith. The original house was built in 1885 by George W. Bullard, leather and findings, 147 W. Water St.. Othe members of the Bullard family lived there for the next 20 years. They were in insurance, real estate and typewriters, Bullard and Co., and the Doane and Jones Lumber Co.. In 1904, the house became a double house, 531 and 531 1/2. In 1929, the original house was purchased by the Bacorn family, razed and the present Colonial Revival Spanish Mission style apartment house erected. It is "the best apartment house in Elmira", according to Ruanesford P. Bacorn, son of the builder. It's residences have been jewelers, doctor, retirees and widows.

 Water Steet 528    circa 1832

Italianate (currently) original house Federal

This house was built oringanaly as a brick Federal style farm home in 1832 for William Hoffman. Hoffman came to Elmira at the turn of the 18th century by canoe. He was a hatter in Geneva NY for one year. He returned to Elmira the following year. He purchased a large tract of lan d for a farm. The tract was bounded  by the chemung River on the south, present day Walnut and Hofman Streets on the east and west, and past Seventh Street on the north.The western third of the district was owned by Hofman until the mid 1840's. William Hoffman became a model farmer, credited with creating "Hoffman Corn", a variety adapted to the area. His descendents prospered through subdivinding the farm. In 1870, John S. Hoffmanresided in the house. His occupations were listed as lumber speculator and real estate. The Hoffman family lived in the house until 1899. In 1901, William W. Weale resided at the address. In 1911, the house was bought by George H. carrier, vice president of secretary of the Cronk & Carrier Mfg. Co. at 150 Lake St., specializing in gardware specialities. From 1925-35, Isaac Allison, a law partner in the firm of Baldwin & Allison, owned the house. In 1939 Ida Langdon bought the house. She taught English Literature at Bryn Mawr and Wellesley Colleges. Betwween 1920-42, Ida Langdon taught at Elmira College as a full time professor. She was a trustee of the Arnot
Art Museum, the niece of Olivia Langdon Clemens (wife of Samuel Clemens) and resided  in the house until 1965.

533 West Water Street circa 1891

This property that this house now occupies was owned in 1865 by Lewis J. Stancliff, president of the Elmira Bank, and in 1876 by Jefferson B. Clark, lumber dealer. The first occupant of theis house was Frnton B. Weaver, an insurance agent at 207 Robinson Building. He lived at this residence from 1891-1938. In 1939-40, Mrs. Pearl Brewer, wido of Bert Brewer, lived here. In 1941, the house was purchased by Harold M Wakley, a salesman. His widow, Florence Wakley, still lives here. Now currently a two unit apartment bldg.

The "Arthur Clinton House"  Click here to see the interior of the Arthur Clinton Home 

535 West Water St. circa 1889

This home was built on a lot owned by Lewis J. Stancliff, president of the Elmira Bank, in1865. By 1876, the property had been transferred to Jefferson B. clark, lumber dealer. The house was first occupied by William Cass Allington, in 1889. Since he was a contractor, builder and realtor, one may asusume that he built the house. He, and later his widow, continued to live there through 1913. It was then owned by Martin B. Wheeler, groceries and meats, and from 1929-1947, by Joseph A. Rhodes, manger of J.A. Rhodes, packer of leaf tobacco. since 1949, the house has been used as a residence and doctor's office. Currently an apartment bldg.

609 West Water Street. circa 1860

     This early Classical Revival home is one of the original houses on the block. This early Classical Revival home is on of the original houses n this block. It was built before 1865 on lot #10 of the William Hoffman lands as mapped by W. H. Collins, 1853. The Hoffman family maintained the house as a rental property for many years. Early tenants included: Loudon Budd, grocer (1878-1884); Eden Blackwell, a carpenter (1892-1900); C. E. Stroman, a driver and electrician (1900-1920); and Herbert Babcock, a lawyer who was to become a U. S. Commissioner in Elmira (1900-1905). Eloise Hoffman sold the property in 1906, and it was purchased in 1909 by Dr. john Stewart, a local physician. It was used as a home and office. The house was then owned and occupied by various members of the Stewaret family until 1968 when it was sold to Mortimer Rosenfield, a retired retail shoe dealer, who is said to be responsible for some extensive renovations. Hoffman creek until its diversion ran to the rear of the property.

611-613-615 West Water Street Italiante Row House circa 1890

     Italianate Row House. The original property was part of the William Hoffman farm. The original dwelling on the site, dating from before 1865 was owned by the Hoffman family and occupied by tenants. Henry C. Hoffman left the property to Keziah Conkling, wife of Stoddard in his will in 1883. The first listing of occupants in a multiple family unit is 1892. The Conkling family, original owners of the present building, lived at 613 1892-1914, Stoddard, a staunch Democrat, was appointed inspector of city sewers by David Robinson., His son, Leon, was to become city engineer. Other early tenants included: William Peebles, 1893-1905, an editor of the Elmira Gazette, and Eugene Lown, 1892-1903, a well-known postman in the First Ward. Since 1910, it manly has remained not an owner occupied.

     Water Steet 622    circa 1873   

In the 1865 City Atlas, the original house on this lot shows. This house was built by O. M.Fletcher, carpenter, who specialized in scrool sawing, molding and manufactruing boxes in a shed in the rear of the house. The original house was razed and the present structure erected. In 1896 Henry Gardner, proprietor of Gardner and McCann Meat Market, 208 W. Water St., owned the house. He lived there through 1920. There were a series of boarders until 1926 when the house was occupied by Frank B. Harris, clothing and his wife Eleanor, a writer. By 1940 it was an aparment/office. Then it was converted back into a single residence.

     Water Steet 628    circa 1925    

This is a Bungalow style home with a gently pitched broad gabled roof facing the street.

The site of the hose was originally part of the Beer's house, 630 Water St.. The first owner was Charles H. McPherson, manufacturing manager of the Eclipse Manufacturing Co.. In 1940 ownership was transferred to Roy Arrandale, chief research engineer at Thatcher Glass. Other owners have beenb credit manager with Thatcher Glass, James Cipollina.