The residence is a two-and-a-half story, three bay, gable-roofed structure with stuccoed walls, shingled gable ends, a large central gable-roofed dormer and a full width, one-story front entry porch. The treatment of the gable ends recalls the Shingle style, while the use of stucco and design of the porch seem to indicate the influence of the Mission style. A fire escape was added to the main facade, and screens and storm windows have been installed, dates of each unknown. A back porch was added by the Neisser family, ca. 1970.
The land south of this property drops off steeply to lands belonging to Cornell University which include natural woodlands and cultivated gardens that are part of the Cornell Botanic Gardens.
The house was built for Professor Harold Ross and his wife, Jessie, and was occupied by them for fifty-seven years. Professor Ross was
one of the first members of Cornell University's Department of Dairy Industry.
Included in
Forest Home Historic District with USN 10906.000036. To access the Building-Structure Inventory form (sometimes referred to as the "Blue Form"), and from which some of the details above come, including the approximate year built, follow these
Lookup Instructions.