Bond, Col. William M. and Nancy Ralston, House - Lockport, NY
Posted by: Groundspeak Regular Member Rayman
N 43° 10.276 W 078° 41.916
17T E 687064 N 4782405
The Col. William Bond House was one of Lockport, New York's first brick houses. Bond donated some of his own land to allow for construction of the county's first courthouse.
Waymark Code: WM1WBG
Location: New York, United States
Date Posted: 07/19/2007
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member silverquill
Views: 55

The Col. William Bond House is significant as an example of early 19th century domestic architecture in Lockport. The house was built in 1823, the same year the first stone was laid for the Erie Canal locks that gave Lockport its name. Over the course of the 19th and early 20th centuries, the house served as the residence for many members of the Bond, Hawley, and Ralston families, among Lockport's most prominent citizens. The Bond house posseses form and massing elements typical of the Federal style of architecture and also has features of Greek Revival which became popular in western New York during the canal era.

Col. William M. Bond was a member of the Ashuelit Cavalry of the New Hampshire State Militia. He married Nancy Ralston in Keene, NH in 1802. Nancy's sister, Elizabeth, married Jesse Hawley of Rochester. Along with Hawley, Bond was a land speculator. The Bond and Hawley families came to Lockport in 1821, along with John Bond, William's brother. John Bond was an attorney in Rochester, and together this group purchased many acres of land in anticipation of the canal being built.

In 1823, about the same time that construction of the Lockport locks began, the Bonds began building their brick home. They occupied the house for less than 10 years however. In 1831, all of Col. Bond's holdings in the Lockport area were seized to cover his debts. The house went to his brother-in-law Jesse Hawley. The Bonds relocated to Mount Morris, NY to live with their son James. Col. Bond died in 1854 and Nancy in 1858. Bond is remembered for having donated two acres of his land to Niagara County in 1821 when it was separated from Erie County. Subsequently, Lockport was named the county seat and new county buildings were built on the land that Bond had donated.

The house is open as a museum May-December on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM.
Street address:
143 Ontario St
Lockport, NY United States
14094


County / Borough / Parish: Niagara

Year listed: 1995

Historic (Areas of) Significance: Architecture/Engineering

Periods of significance: 1800-1824, 1900-1924

Historic function: Domestic: Single Dwelling

Current function: Recreation and Culture: Museum

Privately owned?: yes

Season start / Season finish: From: 05/01/2007 To: 12/31/2007

Hours of operation: From: 1:00 PM To: 5:00 PM

Primary Web Site: [Web Link]

Secondary Website 1: Not listed

Secondary Website 2: Not listed

National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Please give the date and brief account of your visit. Include any additional observations or information that you may have, particularly about the current condition of the site. Additional photos are highly encouraged, but not mandatory.
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