Cobblestone Historic District

Cobblestone Historic District is a National Historic Landmark in Childs, New York, featuring three structures built with polished cobblestones near Lake Ontario. The site includes a church, parsonage, and school building positioned along Ridge Road.

The Universalist Church was built in 1834 as the first cobblestone religious structure in North America. This construction method became an important regional building tradition afterward.

The Ward House displays artifacts from family life in the 1800s, including a glass-fronted casket used during funeral viewings. These objects reveal how people observed mourning traditions and lived daily life in that era.

The schoolhouse demonstrates an unusual construction technique where cobblestones serve as decorative facing over a wooden frame. Understanding this method helps visitors appreciate the building's structure while walking through the site.

The entire district occupies less than 1 acre of land, making it one of the most compact National Historic Landmarks in the state. Despite its small size, it contains three fully preserved structures of national importance.

Location: New York

Inception: 1834

GPS coordinates: 43.28694,-78.19083

Latest update: December 13, 2025 11:47