Victorian Home on the Roof in Syracuse, New York

Along interstate 81 in Syracuse, New York keep your eyes peeled for a home atop an old manufacturing facility. The old Pennfield manufacturing company was a Syracuse staple for many years. The company was famous for it's production of therapeutic mattresses. But before that the industrial building housed the manufacturing plant of Moyer Carriages. In fact H.A. Moyer designed the complex with the 2 1/2 story Victorian home resting on top of the roof. The company began production in 1880, and the house on top of the factory has been nearly a mystery ever since.

Stories around town claimed Mr. Moyer's wife was not thrilled with having to move out of her home to relocate to Syracuse. To keep his wife happy Mr. Moyer had their home moved to the top of his work. Others around town had stories that weren't quite as romantic.

In a 1937 newspaper interview a family member revealed that the home has never been inhabited and contains nothing but machinery to operate an elevator and rafters for the structure. The house was designed as an architectural gimmick. Mr. Moyer was even said to have raised one of his carriages onto the roof to attract attention to his latest model. The Moyer Carriage manufacturing facility once consisted of four buildings, each with a Victorian home perched on top. Today the one along North Salina street is the only one remaining. Unfortunately the building has sat empty since 2005 so no one's certain how much longer it will remain a quirky Syracuse attraction.