Stone masons from Montreal and local
indians were employed in the project. Church also built the Parish family home,
now the Remington Art Museum on Washington Street. Parish contributed millions
of dollars as a loan to the U.S. Government to help finance the War of 1812,
much of which was fought adjacent to this building. During the Civil War the
building served as barracks for the Massachusetts Company of Union troops
protecting the northern border against raids by Confederate partisans. The
building was purchased in 1936 by the Federal Government to serve as the U.S.
Customs House. It is now known as the Robert C. McEwen U.S. Customs House,
named in honor of the Ogdensburg native elected to Congress in 1965. McEwen
served in Congress until 1981.
The Library Park Historic District is historically and architecturally
important as an intact collection of 19th century buildings, encompassing 303 to
323 Washington Street and 100-112 Caroline Street. Parish purchased the area in
1808, building his home here in 1809-1810 as the center of an elaborate estate.
Then known as the "Red Villa" the Parish home was built in the Federal
style, and today is home to the Frederic Remington Art Museum.


Across Washington Street from the museum was a large Victorian mansion that
was remodeled in 1922 to resemble the Greek Revival residence that stood on the
site in 1840. Some interior features, such as the staircase and some woodwork
and fireplaces from the Victorian home were retained, and the building now
serves as the Ogdensburg Public Library. The Library is surrounded by Library
Park, a green space laid out in 1903. In 1905 the Soldiers and Sailors
Monument was erected as a memorial to Civil War soldiers. The monument was
designed by Sally James Farnham, an Ogdensburg native and sculptor.
The Augsbury home on Caroline Street is the largest of several homes built
in the 1880s. It was built of a combination of Potsdam sandstone, clapboard and
shingles, and has a variety of features associated with the Queen Anne
architectural style.
A Greek Revival style building was
built at 315 State Street, the site of the first bank in Ogdensburg. It has a
rare surviving marble facade using locally quarried white marble, featuring a
pedimented gable, cornice, corner pilasters and door with a three light transom.
Over the years the structure served as a railroad ticket company and Express
Company, law offices, a real estate office, and is today undergoing restoration.
An important example of 19th century civic architecture is the U.S. Post
Office at 431 State Street. It was built between 1867 and 1870 after a design
by Alfred B. Mullett, the Assistant Supervising Architect for the Treasury
Department, designed to accommodate Federal postal, customs, and court
facilities. It is a carefully proportioned neo-classical scheme based on
Palladian design, with quoins, cornice and pediments at roofline. Built of
Berea sandstone from Ohio, and blue cut limestone, it is characterized by
interior structural and decorative elements of iron. Notable interior features
are marble floors and fireplace mantle, decorative iron doorframes and white ash
woodwork. The second story Federal courtroom is of particular significance,
with its ornate original plaster arcade and mouldings. The cost of construction
was set at $265,000, including furnishings.
This house, built in 1800, was the
home of Preston King, a prominant Ogdensburg politician. and a founder
of the Republican Party. He served in the New York State Assembly from 1835 to
1838. He became the first Ogdensburg native elected to congress in 1843,
serving there unitl 1853. He became a U.S. Senator in 1857, serving until 1863.
In 1865 he was a presidential elector, and collector for the Port of New York.
King studied law with Louis Hasbrouck and John Fine.
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