The McClurg mansion in Westfield, NY, is a remarkably intact example of high quality 19th century residential architecture in small town America. Built in 1817, it is the oldest residential structure of its type in Chautauqua County and is a contributing structure to the French Portage Road Historic District.
It is significant both for its unique and fanciful design, especially for the pioneer era in which it was built, and its association with James McClurg, one of the earliest settlers of Westfield and of Chautauqua County. For three years it was the home of William H. Seward, one of the most powerful politicians who ever hailed from New York State, in the late 1830s.
Today, the home and grounds are owned by the Village of Westfield and, since 1951, have been leased to the Chautauqua County Historical Society. The Society has managed the building since then, using it as a headquarters to exhibit its extensive collection of material relating to Chautauqua County’s history and to house its vast archive of documents and objects.
The Chautauqua County Historical Society commissioned Flynn Battaglia Architects of Buffalo to conduct a historic structures study, with funding from the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation, the Thomas H. Brown Fund and from the Historical Society itself.
The 188-page report from Flynn Battaglia notes the house is very substantially built and has weathered its two centuries rather well. The architects said the McClurg mansion represents one of the most unique and intact remaining remnants of the pioneer period of life in Chautauqua County. There are, however, chronic conditions that require attention. Required refurbishment projects include:
- Repair sag of the stairway gallery in the center stair hall and restore plaster walls, rewire electrical fixtures, add motion detector.
- Rebuild ceiling framing in back hall, build new walls for workroom, install HVAC system for workroom, install wainscoting and beadboard to match original.
- Modify exterior grade to fix north perimeter water infiltration to basement, replace sills, repair mortar joints and replace bricks as needed.
- Repair sagging floor and replace bearing wall lower office. Install HVAC.
- Replace flat roof above southeastern bedroom.
- Provide new doorway in east bay of basement to comply with building code.
- Provide access for disabled individuals to as much of the building as possible.
- Add gutters and downspouts on all sloping sections of roof.
- Restore windows.
- Repoint damaged mortar in exterior brickwork.
- Provide storm sash to all 38 windows.
- Provide ventilation slots in storm sash and create brick vents in crawl spaces.