817 Triphammer Rd Ithaca

Chronology of conveyance transactions and maps confirming the address and location of this property from the time of the 1940 census through 2026

Deeds and maps referred to are all available from the online database service of the Tompkins County Clerk by clicking the link below, logging in as Guest, and searching by Instrument (Document) Number, for example: BF121050-001

Summary
The house at 817 Triphammer Road was built by Erma Cicchetti in 1939/40 on a vacant lot acquired from Emily Evans Sheldon in October 1939. The Cicchettis bought many vacant properties in this neighborhood, often from Emily Sheldon. Erma designed homes, often for particular customers. She also acted as building contractor.  See Erma Cicchetti (1903-1961) from Village of Cayuga Heights History website.

BF121050-001 DEED, dated 10/31/1939, recorded 11/21/1939. Emily Evans Sheldon sold property to Albert and Erma Cicchetti.  Property was on east side of Triphammer Road, at intersection with north side of Water Tank Rd (later named Sheldon Rd).

BF123302-001 DEED, dated 11/07/1940, recorded 11/15/1940. Albert and Erma Cicchetti sold the same property, now with a house, to John W. and Lois M. Reddout. "The dwelling on the above described premises is known as 817 Triphammer Road..."

BF000682-001 MAP, recorded 10/01/1951.  Survey of properties on north side of Sheldon Road (labeled as "public highway") at intersection with Triphammer Road.  Shows the lot and residence occupied by John and Lois Reddout.

BF079243-001 DEED dated and recorded 07/13/1955. John W. and Lois M. Reddout conveyed the same property to John B. and Hilda B. Babcock.

Note: The Tompkins County Department of Assessment report for 817 Triphammer Rd identifies the property as having Tax ID 11.-2-29, with a house built in 1960[sic], having 1 stories. The Deed History begins with John and Hilda Babcock acquiring the property in 1955.  

Erma Cicchetti (1903-1961)
Village of Cayuga Heights History. 
By Patricia Longoria
Incorporates pictures of individual buildings.

"Like other American suburbs, Cayuga Heights experienced a housing boom in the years following World War II. Builder Erma Cicchetti (1903-1961) designed and supervised the construction of an estimated 35 homes in the Cayuga Heights area between 1940 and 1960, in partnership with her husband Albert Cicchetti (c. 1897-1982), who worked as a machinist for the Morse Chain Factory. Albert emigrated to the United States in 1913. Erma’s father Salvatore emigrated from Terracina, Latina, Italy to the United States in 1905. He worked at the Ithaca Gun Company. Erma and her mother Amelia and several siblings arrived in the United States from Italy in 1907, when Erma was four years old.
 
Although she was not trained as an architect, Cicchetti had a natural eye for design. The Cicchetti-designed homes are elegant and solidly constructed, commonly faced with brick or stucco. No two are exactly alike. Cicchetti recruited and supervised experienced contractors for plumbing and other specialty work, including Italian American masons and framers who moonlighted after their day jobs at Cornell. Cicchetti was known as an exacting taskmaster but was also generous, reportedly feeding her crews homemade Italian dinners."