Designated May 10, 1977
Extended July 11, 1989
The city’s historic past as the nation’s major port, particularly after the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825, is preserved in this district. The centerpiece is Schermerhorn Row’s collection of early 19th-century warehouses and counting houses. These three- and four-story structures were built in the Federal style with high-pitched roofs creating ample storage space. Elsewhere in the district, numerous Greek Revival warehouses, lofts, and other commercial buildings replaced those lost in the great fire of 1835.