Farnam Mansion

The Farnam Mansion at 302 Main Street features Italianate style with ornate brackets, tall windows topped with pediments, bay windows, and a wrap-around porch beneath a low-pitched roof. The exterior shows elaborate details typical of homes built for wealthy merchants in the 1800s.

Stephen Head Farnam, a hardware merchant and president of the National State Bank, constructed this house in 1862 and lived there until his death in 1897. The scale and quality of the residence show his standing as one of Oneida's most influential businessmen during the latter half of the 1800s.

Mary Dyer Jackson, an early advocate for women's voting rights, owned this residence briefly in 1913 and used it to advance her political goals across New York. The rooms reflect how an educated woman of the early 1900s lived and worked.

The building now houses an antiques shop where visitors can browse while taking in the architectural features up close. Guided tours are available to learn more about the building's past and the people who lived there.

The house is known for several ghostly reports including unexplained footsteps in the hallways, a lamp that appears to operate on its own, and sightings of a white spectral cat on the attic stairs. These stories have made it popular with those interested in paranormal activity.

Location: New York

Architectural style: Italianate architecture

GPS coordinates: 43.09137,-75.64987

Latest update: December 11, 2025 11:08