Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. 9 historic topographic surveys show this location, the earliest from 1915.
“Ford Block is a historic commercial building located at Oneonta in Otsego County, New York. It is a large, three story brick building in a modified Queen Anne style.”
Wikipedia article Ford Block, CC BY-SA 4.0.
One of 79 National Register listings published here for Otsego County · listed in 1984 · category: Building.
Sources: the Wikipedia article · the case file at the National Archives · the National Register database, National Park Service
Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 71 fires within 5 miles of Ford Block between 1992 and 2020, burning about 64 acres in total. 4 started naturally. 14 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 28 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 14 |
| Debris and open burning | 13 |
| Smoking | 7 |
| Natural | 4 |
| Misuse of fire by a minor | 3 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 2 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 September 2016 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | Fire Department of New York | N/A |
| 3 September 2007 | Recreation and ceremony | under an acre | Fire Department of New York | not named |
| 17 September 2011 | Arson/incendiarism | under an acre | Fire Department of New York | not named |
| 8 July 2017 | Arson/incendiarism | under an acre | Fire Department of New York | N/A |
| 6 July 2009 | Smoking | under an acre | Fire Department of New York | not named |
| 30 July 2018 | Arson/incendiarism | under an acre | Fire Department of New York | N/A |
| 14 July 2020 | Natural | under an acre | Fire Department of New York | NA |
| 10 July 2019 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Fire Department of New York | N/A |
Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 4 workings within 5 miles of Ford Block: 4 producers. All of them still produce. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colliersville Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Hemlock Road Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Meredith Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Robertson Number 1 | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer |
Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Oneonta, the town this property stands in, in 63 storm reports between 1993 and 2023: 41 thunderstorm wind, 15 hail, 5 flash flood, 2 lightning. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 2013 | Flash Flood | Oneonta | $50,000 | Area roads were severely flooded. Oneonta City Hall was flooded. |
| September 2011 | Flash Flood | Oneonta | $50,000 | Numerous roads flooded in the City of Oneonta. SUNY Oneonta was almost cut off on the hill above the flooding. |
| July 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oneonta | $50,000 | Numerous cars and houses sustained minor damage throughout the city and surrounding areas of Oneonta as strong thunderstorm gusts uprooted trees and transmission poles and lines. |
| July 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oneonta | $50,000 | no account filed |
| June 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oneonta | $35,000 | A thunderstorm became severe across southern sections of the county. Many trees and wires were downed in Oneonta around 9 pm EDT. The storm then continued eastward into Milford and produced additional wind damage in the form of toppled trees and utility poles. One such tree fell across a house and damaged its front porch. |
| July 2013 | Flash Flood | Oneonta | $25,000 | Heavy rainfall caused extensive urban and storm drain flash flooding throughout the City of Oneonta. Cars and people were stranded on local roadways. |
| July 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oneonta | $22,000 | Strong thunderstorm winds knocked down a tree onto power lines which then landed on a residence with smoke filling the house. |
| June 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oneonta | $20,000 | Thunderstorm winds downed numerous trees wires. Metal was pulled off a roof just south of Milford. Oneonta was particularly hard hit. |
| August 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oneonta | $20,000 | Trees felled by thunderstorm wind gusts damaged a fence at a residence and tore down cables and electric lines leading to the home. |
| August 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oneonta | $10,000 | Strong thunderstorm winds brought down trees and wires. |
| October 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oneonta | $10,000 | Strong thunderstorm winds brought down multiple trees and wires. |
| July 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oneonta | $10,000 | A severe thunderstorm produced severe winds and large hail as it moved across the area. The thunderstorm resulted in scattered trees and wires down in the towns of Laurens, Milford and Oneonta. This storm also produced 1.25 inch sized hail in Laurens. |
| June 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oneonta | $10,000 | A severe thunderstorm produced severe winds as it moved across the area. The thunderstorm resulted in several trees being knocked over or uprooted. Power lines were knocked over due to falling trees. |
| July 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oneonta | $10,000 | Trees and wires were blown down. |
| November 2006 | Flash Flood | Oneonta | $10,000 | Roads flooded in the western part of the county. |
| November 2006 | Flash Flood | Oneonta | $10,000 | Streams over roads and bridges. |
| June 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oneonta | $10,000 | Thunderstorm winds downed trees and wires. |
| July 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oneonta | $10,000 | Several large limbs and a few trees fell on a homeowner's roof causing minor damage |
| April 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | West Oneonta | $8,000 | Widely scattered trees were snapped and uprooted. |
| July 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | West Oneonta | $5,000 | Strong thunderstorm winds knocked down multiple trees along Highway 8. |
| May 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | West Oneonta | $5,000 | Strong thunderstorm winds brought down wires. |
| August 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | West Oneonta | $5,000 | Strong thunderstorm winds brought down trees across a road and damaged power poles. |
| September 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oneonta | $5,000 | Wires were blown down. |
| July 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oneonta | $5,000 | Trees were blown down. |
| June 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oneonta | $5,000 | Trees were blown down and accompanied by dime size hail. |
| June 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oneonta | $5,000 | Trees were blown down and accompanied by dime size hail. |
| June 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oneonta | $5,000 | Trees were blown down. |
| July 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oneonta | $5,000 | Thunderstorm winds downed many trees and wires. Significant power outages occurred. |
| August 2003 | Lightning | Oneonta | $5,000 | Lightning hit a power line at the Henry Street substation in Oneonta. About 1100 people lost power. |
| June 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oneonta | $5,000 | no account filed |
| July 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oneonta | $5,000 | no account filed |
| August 1993 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oneonta | $5,000 | no account filed |
| August 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oneonta | $2,000 | Strong thunderstorm winds knocked down a tree and wires on West Street. |
| November 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oneonta | $2,000 | Thunderstorm winds downed isolated trees and wires. |
| June 2002 | Lightning | Oneonta | $2,000 | Lightning struck a utility pole at the Pony Farm Industrial Park setting it on fire. The lightning downed wires on the pole causing an outage to 4860 customers from Oneonta to Unadilla. A trailer on Oneida Street was also struck by lightning. |
| September 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | West Oneonta | $1,000 | Strong thunderstorm winds knocked down a tree onto the road. |
| July 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oneonta | $1,000 | Strong thunderstorm winds knocked down a tree in a backyard, damaging a chain link fence. |
| July 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oneonta | $1,000 | Strong thunderstorm winds knocked down a tree on County Road 8. |
| August 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oneonta | $1,000 | Numerous trees were blown down around Oneonta. |
| August 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oneonta | $1,000 | Several trees and wires were blown down. |
| July 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oneonta | $1,000 | A few trees were knocked down. |
| March 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oneonta | $250 | Strong thunderstorm winds shattered a window. |
| July 2021 | Hail | Oneonta | - | A strong thunderstorm produced 1 inch size hail. |
| October 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oneonta | - | A wire was blown down. |
| September 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oneonta | - | One foot diameter branches were blown down. |
| June 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oneonta | - | Large branches were broken. |
| April 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oneonta | - | Wires were knocked down by strong thunderstorm winds. |
| June 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oneonta | - | Numerous trees and wires were blown down throughout the city. |
| June 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oneonta | - | Trees and wires were blown down. |
| August 2020 | Hail | West Oneonta | - | no account filed |
| September 2019 | Hail | Oneonta | - | no account filed |
| June 2013 | Hail | Oneonta | - | no account filed |
| September 2012 | Hail | Oneonta | - | no account filed |
| June 2011 | Hail | Oneonta | - | no account filed |
| August 2010 | Hail | Oneonta | - | no account filed |
| June 2009 | Hail | Oneonta | - | no account filed |
| June 2009 | Hail | Oneonta | - | no account filed |
| June 2009 | Hail | Oneonta | - | no account filed |
| June 2008 | Hail | Oneonta | - | no account filed |
| June 2008 | Hail | Oneonta | - | no account filed |
United States Geological Survey topographic sheets whose coverage includes this point. Matched by taking the coordinate the National Park Service records for this property, then testing that coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet.
Other National Register properties close enough to walk or drive between, ordered by distance from this one. Both positions come from the same geocoding pass that matched these properties to their map sheets.
| Photograph | Property | Distance | Listed |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Oneonta Downtown Historic District | under 500 feet | 2003 |
| Municipal Building | under 500 feet | 1982 | |
 | George I. Wilber House | under 500 feet | 2000 |
 | Old Post Office | under 500 feet | 1978 |
| Cornfield, The | 0.1 miles | 2002 | |
 | Fairchild Mansion | 0.2 miles | 1974 |
| National Archives record | The nomination case file for reference 84002893 in Record Group 79. |
| Wikipedia article | Community-written account of this property, licensed CC BY-SA. |
| Otsego County | All 79 listed properties in this county. |
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