The Tower House

Located at 29 Washington Street is the Tower House. This L-shaped residence was constructed between 1856 and 1861, on land formerly associated with John McLallen’s farm. The design of the home embodies elements of the Gothic Revival style, popularized by New York architects A.J. Davis and A.J. Downing. Gothic Revival architecture was fashionable in Tompkins County from the 1840s to 1870s. Number 29 Washington Street features steeply pitched gables, embellished with decorative vergeboards. The principal façade is punctuated by an entrance on the first floor, cased in a lancet door surround. The most striking feature of the house is its octagonal tower, which acts as a visual landmark for the surrounding neighborhood.

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