Courthouse Square Historic District

About

The Courthouse Square Historic District in Albion offers a remarkably preserved glimpse into the architectural and civic legacy of Orleans County. Anchored by the majestic 1858 Greek Revival-style courthouse, the district is home to an array of distinctive public buildings, stately homes, and sacred spaces that reflect nearly two centuries of local history. From Gothic Revival churches built with locally quarried Medina Sandstone to ornate Eastlake and Queen Anne residences, the area showcases the craftsmanship, community values, and cultural evolution of Albion.

View the Courthouse Square Historic district walking tour brochure here. Request a free copy here. 

1. Orleans County Courthouse
Designed by Wm. V. N. Barlow and built in 1857-58 for $20,000, this courthouse is a late example of the Greek Revival style. It serves as the central focal point of the historic district. Its large dome, topped with a cupola, is a landmark visible for miles.

2. Orleans County Clerk’s Office, 3 South Main St.

The Orleans County Clerk's Office was designed by Isaac G. Perry and built in 1882-83 in the Eastlake style. He was the same architect who designed the "Million Dollar Staircase" in the State Capitol in Albany. The extraordinary facade is enhanced with intricate brickwork and many detailed windows.

Head to the Clerk's Building to see the county's oldest historic marker, mounted on the site where the Phipps Union Seminary once stood.

Dedicated in 1913, the marker honors Caroline Phipps Achilles, a pioneer in women's education who founded one of the nation's earliest female seminaries in 1837. Her school drew young women from across the country before closing after devastating fires in the 1870s.

3. Central Hall, 34 East Park St.
Built in 1882, Central Hall served as a school until 1934. It then became Sheret Post 35 of the American Legion and was acquired by the county in 1980. Over the years, it has housed various county departments. Today, it is home to the county historian’s office, which preserves materials and assists researchers.

4. Pullman Memorial Universalist Church, 10 East Park St.

The Pullman Memorial Universalist Church was built in 1894 by the manufacturer of railway sleeping cars, George M. Pullman (1831-1897), in memory of his parents.

It was designed in "Old English Gothic" by S. S. Beman, constructed of Medina Sandstone, and contains many windows created by the Tiffany Glass and Decorating Company.

Pullman grew up in Albion, where he built furniture and coffins before moving to Chicago, Illinois, where he became a millionaire.

5. St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 106 South Main St.

St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church was erected in 1896 of locally quarried Medina Sandstone in the Gothic Revival style.

A disgruntled Baptist sold his property to the Catholics with the stipulation that they build their church close to the street so it would block the view of the neighboring Baptist Church from Main Street.

The interior of the Roman Catholic church, refurbished in 1952 with Italian marble, is richly illuminated with all of its original stained-glass windows.

In 2022, the Medina Sandstone Society inducted the church into its Hall of Fame, along with St. Joseph’s School and Lyceum, built in 1905 on Main Street, and the chapel at St. Joseph’s Cemetery, built in 1920 on Route 31. The lyceum is the first school to receive the honor.

6. First Baptist Church, 30 West Park St.

The First Baptist Church, designed by Harlo Wilcox in the Victorian Romanesque style, was dedicated in 1860.

Its most unusual feature is a hexagonal tower and spire 160 feet high which abuts the building. It still has its original clock mechanism with three dials on the tower. Underneath a community crypt or holding vault was built which is no longer used.

7. Christ Episcopal Church, 26 South Main St.

The Christ Episcopal Church was built in 1830 by Presbyterians. In 1844, Episcopalians swapped their vacant lot and building materials with the Presbyterians for their edifice.

Built of brick, it is the oldest church building in Orleans County still being used for religious services. It contains an outstanding Steere & Turner tracker action pipe organ built in 1877.

8. Albion Post Office, 8 South Main St.
This post office features a 1939 WPA mural by Judson Smith, depicting an Erie Canal village with a lift bridge and factories. Albion’s roots trace back to 1821 with the Erie Canal’s arrival, which spurred its development as a trading and political center. Quarrying, farming and food processing shaped the town’s growth.

9. Former Swan Library, 29 West Avenue

Built in 1851 as a Greek Revival residence, the former Swan Library was later transformed in 1899 into a Colonial Revival-style public library.

It officially opened on St. Patrick's Day in 1900 and served the community for over a century before closing in 2012, when the library relocated to the newly built Hoag Library.

Today, the historic building has been repurposed and now operates as an office space.

10. First Presbyterian Church, 29 East State St.

The First Presbyterian Church was built of Medina Sandstone in 1874, largely through a bequest of Elizur Hart. It is Orleans County's tallest building with a stone spire 175 feet high. Legend says that Mr. Hart wanted this steeple to be higher than the Baptist one two blocks away.

The church was designed by A. J. Warner of Rochester in the Gothic Revival style, which emulates the great cathedrals of Europe. The Greek Revival building attached to the rear served as the sanctuary from 1845 until 1874.

11. Queen Anne Residence, 31 East State St.
This Queen Anne Residence was built in 1893 as a manse for the Presbyterian Church. It displays many of the typical architectural features associated with the style.

12. Canalside Community Church, 19 North Platt St.
Formerly the United Methodist Church, was constructed of brick in 1860, remodeled in 1877, and remodeled extensively in 1914, allowing for its present appearance. The notable feature of this edifice is the large 1914 window of the Good Shepherd in the Tiffany style.

13. Greek Revival Residence, 12 Ingersoll St.

Built in the 1840s, this Greek Revival Home was once the residence of Sanford E. Church, Lt. Governor of New York and a candidate for the presidency in 1868.

The Greek Revival home with Doric columns of particular interest on the porch is surrounded by a noteworthy cast iron fence.

14. Second Empire Residence, 134 East State St.
This Second Empire Residence was designed by Wm. V. N. Barlow, a local architect, and built in 1879. It manifests an elaborate Mansard roof with a fanciful hexagonal tower that is quite striking.

15. Free Methodist Church, 25 South Platt St.
The First Free Methodist Church was erected in 1860 when the local Methodist minister, an Abolitionist, split his congregation over this issue. The Free Methodists considered themselves free from the Methodist Episcopal Church. The church is an example of Norman Revival style with board and batten siding.