A blog devoted to American Italianate architecture of the 19th century. This blog features architectural analyses of Italianate domestic buildings with images, and historical information. My plan is to show the varieties, regional vernacular of Italianate architecture.
Showing posts with label New York state. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New York state. Show all posts
Sunday, March 4, 2018
The John Crouse House, Syracuse, NY
This is a rather interesting design, demolished, from Syracuse, NY. It was built by John R. Crouse, a major banker in Syracuse, in the 1850s, and in 1904 became the law school at Syracuse University. Fronting on Fayette Park, one of the city's early planning and mansion districts, it would have had a rather over-landscaped Victorian park as its front yard. It was demolished in the 1920s. The house bears a striking similarity to the design of Henry Austin for the Willis Bristol house is New Haven, CT, particularly in its proportions. There it was a simple form with Indian architectural elements grafter on; here the same sort of design is interpreted in a Gothic mode. Following the symmetrical plan, like Austin's house, it featured a spare stuccoed facade, with a generous third story and long s scroll brackets, paired and without an entablature. The gothicism is restricted to the windows, as the porch is a rather typical design. Above each window is a simple Gothic molding with carved stops; each window is inset with a unique gothic tracery overlay, with intersecting pointed arches and foils in the tracery. The bay window to the side receives a similar treatment, with more traditional pointed arches. A low cupola, another Austin feature, topped the whole with large brackets. Note how the ironwork similarly matches the Austin formula. Though I could not produce an exact chain of influence, it is clear that Austin's plans, perhaps published or seen in person influenced this house. Other images can be seen here, here, and here.
Sunday, February 11, 2018
'Locust Grove' the Samuel F. B. Morse House, Poughkeepsie, NY
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'Locust Grove' the Samuel F. B. Morse House, Poughkeepsie, NY. 1850
Photo: Wikimedia
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Photo: Wikimedia |
Photo: Wikimedia |
Saturday, March 26, 2016
The William Terry House, Hudson, NY
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The William Terry House, Hudson, NY. 1850. Photo: Doug Kerr |
The William Terry house (also known as the Terry-Gillette mansion) at 601 Union Street in Hudson shows both how Upjohn's double tower plan plan spread in the 1840s and early 50s as well as how slavishly his designs could be followed. It was built for Terry, a retailer, and after serving as an Elks Club and then a store, it is currently a performance venue. The house, in its original form, was very similar to the King house with a nearly identical profile and a similar window arrangement. It seems like the original Venetian tracery windows on the front of the house have been destroyed by later changes, although the decorative brickwork around them is unique to this house. Additionally, the design seems to have been drastically altered by the large port cochere to the right of the façade, although the treatment harmonizes with the design of the house. One of the original windows survives on the side façade (see below). In the Terry house, the builders decided not to go with some of the doo-dads found in the King house. There are no wooden awnings or balconies; even the engaged balustrade on the second floor in the central block is simpler and has more widely spaced balusters. The house also lacks the decorative open pediments that top the King house's rectangular windows. Otherwise, the house is an excellent example of what a, no doubt, local builder could do with a published plan, and it remains an important example of this plan in the US. The interior features an impressive curving staircase (below).
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
The Robert Earl House, Herkimer, NY
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The Robert Earl House, Herkimer, NY. 1874 Photo: Doug Kerr |
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Photo: Carol |
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Photo: Carol |
Friday, March 18, 2016
161 Second Street, Troy, NY
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161 Second St. Troy, NY. 1850s-60s |
Frustratingly, I found very little information about this house at 161 Second Street, even from historians. I can say in 1899 it was occupied by Martin Payne, an inventor. Nonetheless, it is one of my favorites because in a city dominated by tightly packed rowhouses, this symmetrical plan villa sticks out dramatically. Date-wise it is definitely a product of the general building campaigns in the area in the late 1850s and 1860s. Unlike many typical symmetrical designs, this one seem proportionally compact and bears the stamp of the Troy vernacular, tombstone windows in rectangular frames, box windows over doors, arched door surrounds, doors with odd window divisions to fit the arched frame, and a general somberness. The facade itself is brick, though it could once have been stuccoed in line with the brownstone houses nearby, and projects slightly in the center and is topped by a pediment, the angle of which is obscured by a somewhat incongruous sheet of plywood incorporated into the cornice. The cornice is paneled with particularly large s-scroll brackets with all the bells and whistles, incised carving, strapwork, flowers, and delicate little finials. The panels in the cornice are interrupted by very large third story windows that seem original, if a little forced. The cupola, a rarity in Troy, is a model of austerity, with flat flushboarded siding and triple arched windows, but there are alternating long and short brackets, not often seen on cupolas which tend to have very large brackets at the corners and no others.
This completes our jaunt around Troy. The city has far more to offer, to be sure, and I will return at some point to round out my description of its architecture. If I can say one thing, though, visit this city. For lovers of Victorian architecture you will not be disappointed! The following selected pictures would be all the inducement I need.
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
The Charles McLeod House, Troy, NY
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The Charles McLeod House, Troy, NY. 1867 |
The house at 149 Second Street in Troy, built in 1867 for Charles McLeod, the vice president of a stove manufacturing company, is one of the most sophisticated designs in the area. It has gone through a variety of owners after the McLeods after 1907 and was altered in 1885, It follows the side-hall, row house plan, although the left-hand bays are filled with a large three story bay window. The facade is articulated in fine brownstone which is distributed in a series of pilasters, blind panels, and horizontal string courses. These features are usually associated with the "Brick-panel style" known from Boston. Because the panels and pilasters form the facade's articulation, window and door surrounds are kept simple. The front doors themselves with their rich carving and the odd insertion of a round arch into a segmental arch are one of the finest sets of Victorian doors in the city. The impressive bay window is especially interesting, as it is so heavily defined by thick cornices and is framed so well by the facade's pilasters. The first and second floors feature filleted openings with rectangular windows inside them. The top floor draws the eye up with arched windows with floating triangular pediments connected by keystones and brackets to the windows. The elaborate paneled cornice completes the design, with s-scroll brackets with carved acanthus leaves and panels with blocks in the corners. The house is currently the home of a wellness retreat and suffered a devastating fire in 2010. Fortunately, the owners love Victorian architecture and have worked tirelessly to rebuild and restore the grand interiors with fine woodwork and painting, images of which can be seen here.
Further down the street back towards Washington Park is another fine brownstone at 167 Second Street. This house was no doubt another product of the late 1850s and is a fine tribute to the segmental arch in a row house plan. A severe brownstone facade with all the demureness of Anglo-Italianate design, features simple hood moldings and a very plain cornice. The largest note of fun is the door which has a full molded surround with a riot of rococo vegetation flowing from the top.
The last little note, across the street is probably one of the coolest, almost intact runs of temple-front Greek Revival houses. You almost never see them all lined up like this, especially in an urban setting.
Monday, March 14, 2016
The John Magill Houses, Troy, NY
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The John Magill Houses, Troy, NY. 1872 |
As architect designed houses, the buildings show a high level of refinement. They follow the row house plan, with a typical side hall entrance and a brick facing. But the real delight of these houses is the details. The brownstone details are particularly nice, consisting of crisply cut drip moldings over the segmental arched windows which work with string courses and drops to frame the windows beautifully. The rusticated base as well offers a solid foundation. The houses' woodwork on the box window over the door is exquisite, with brackets that terminate in fine Greek Revival palmettes that are emphasized by steep engaged pediments. Above the window eclectically combines traditional Italianate designs with Gothic quatrefoils (clover leaves) and Eastlake incised carving. The show stopper cornice continues the quality of the box window woodwork and resembles closely the cornice seen on the Connors-Boland house, with a row of Gothic pilasters forming a blind arcade. This seems to be a particular vernacular in Troy. I particularly like the central projection in the cornice, which counterbalances the horizontal thrust of the brownstone string courses. Both these houses retain their original details perfectly. The interior of one can be seen here.
The third house in the picture, 144 Second Street, is a bit more austere but clearly reflects the design of its taller neighbors and was most certainly built around the same time. Taking a more traditional approach, this house has a pretty cool alternation of pediments, with rounded pediments on the first floor, triangular on the second, and flat moldings on the third. The same quality of woodwork continues, though the cornice has been altered to the arched type with a row of semicircles rather than a pilastered arcade. The central projection definitely echoes the Magill houses, and I'd suspect the same architect designed all three.
Saturday, March 12, 2016
The Peter Thalimer and the Burden Houses, Troy, NY
The right hand house at 224 was built in 1868 by a speculator and forms part of a pair. It was first inhabited by the Burdens, owners of an ironworks. The left hand house at 222 was built in 1857 by a different speculator and was first inhabited by Peter Thalimer, who operated the company store of a nail factory. These row house plan homes are simple but elegant. The Burden house has a plan stuccoed façade with elegant segmental arched windows with very simple moldings. The front doors are particularly notable here with arched windows and triangular windows above. The Thalimer house is brick faced with fine brownstone with alternating round headed and segmental arched windows. Notable on this house is the bay window over the front door rather than a simple box window and the fine brownstone balustrades on the first floor.
Thursday, March 10, 2016
The Connors-Boland House, Troy, NY
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The Connors-Boland House, Troy, NY. 1880 |
Tuesday, March 8, 2016
The James T. Main House, Troy, NY
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The James T. Main House, Troy, NY. 1858 |
At 206 Third Street, this house was built for James T. Main, a grocer, in 1858, but is also known as the Fisk-Fitzgerald House. This is perhaps one of the finest houses on Washington Park and certainly has one of the fancier facades. It follow the symmetrical plan and has a simple Anglo-Italianate façade edged with quoins, always a fancy addition. The window surrounds are simple with moldings supported on brackets, but these grow smaller and simpler the further one goes up the façade. The first floor windows have tombstone windows wedged into the rectangular window opening, a feature that's very common on the square; the upper windows are simpler. This differentiation between first floor and upper windows makes for a sophisticated balance of masses. The balance is continued by the central door with an arched opening surrounded by simple pilasters and topped by a crest with the American flag, which contrasts with the more elaborate windows to the side. The central window on the second floor is a projecting box window with Tuscan pilasters, a Renaissance balustrade, and fine closely spaced brackets; this contrasts with the simpler windows to its sides. The paneled cornice, with dentils, large brackets, and smaller brackets, completing the balances by adding the right touch to the top.
Sunday, March 6, 2016
The Charles W. Thompson and Francis Thayer Houses, Troy, NY
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The Thompson and Thayer Houses, Troy, NY. 1860 |
A third house at the end of the ensemble is Italianate and was built for Arba Read, a brewer, in 1853. Unfortunately, it is mostly ensconced in vines and doesn't photograph well. Nonetheless, the beautiful foliage gives the house a real charm. This house is actually brick with stone quoins at the corners and follows the symmetrical plan. I suspect it was meant to be stuccoed. The house has typical bracket and molded window and door surrounds and paired brackets. A later mansard roof holds dormers. Perhaps the most amazing feature, which I have yet to see paralleled, is the bay window to the left which has panes of actual brilliant cut glass. Cut glass, familiar as an expensive luxury item for tableware is extremely rare as a treatment for windows, and this alone is something very noteworthy. This bay is probably an addition of the 1880s.
Just for the hell of it, here are the other two houses on the block facing the park.
Friday, March 4, 2016
The S. Burt Saxton House, Troy, NY
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The S. Burt Saxton House, Troy, NY. 1858 |
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
The Uri Gilbert House, Troy, NY
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The Uri Gilbert House, Troy, NY. 1854 |
Monday, February 29, 2016
The Francis House, Troy, NY
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The Francis House, Troy, NY. 1846. |
Saturday, February 27, 2016
The Charles J. Saxe House, Troy, NY
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Charles J. Saxe House, Troy, NY. 1854 |
Thursday, February 25, 2016
The Joseph Fuller House, Troy, NY
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Joseph Fuller House, Troy, NY. 1853 |
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Washington Park: The Agnes Vaughan House, Troy, NY
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The Agnes Vaughan House, Troy, NY. 1855 |
The park itself was established in 1840 when the property lots were divided, though the original lots were quickly resold. By 1860, most of the park was built up along its north (Washington St.), south (Washington Pl.), east (3rd St.), and west (2nd St.). Some of the houses are attached, but many are freestanding, although they follow general row house principles. While Italianate dominates stylistically, the ensemble is precious for having great examples of Gothic and Greek Revival as well. In general the other sides developed more quickly than the east. The inhabitants were upper middle class businessmen, factory owners, and merchants, and seemed to form a distinct social set. Although the area declined in the early 20th century and Troy itself began to decay drastically in the mid-20th century, it was revitalized in the 1960s and there was a renewed interest in Victorian design.
For my first house, I will be starting in the south-west corner. Built in 1855 at 199 2nd Street, it was inhabited by Agnes Vaughan from 1877 whose husband stole from his law firm and divorced her. Nonetheless, Agnes stayed in the house and eventually remarried. This house is one of my favorites. It follows a row house form, but has a central entrance, so one can call it symmetrical (without much of the centralized emphasis). The house's façade however is far from symmetrical, however, since the right hand bay is elongated, something one sees in many side hall houses in upstate NY, surely to accommodate a larger drawing room. The façade my be stuccoed or painted stone with corner quoins. The houses around the square are generally sparing in ornament, giving the whole a strong dignity and Anglo-Italianate flavor (shown also in the rusticated base); the segmental arched windows and door surround are simple moldings. It seems some iron balconies have been removed on the first floor. The windows feature interesting Venetian tracery wedged into a segmental arch, something that seems common in Troy. A projecting box window surmounts the entrance, another extremely common upstate NY feature; often these are the most ornamental parts of urban homes. The cornice is paneled with s scroll brackets. All in all a sophisticated design.
The southern part of the square has no Italianates proper. Rather the whole side is taken up by one long, unified Greek Revival row; however, the temptations of Italy seem to have won out over the Hellenic, since many of the houses feature Italianate doors and box windows. The survival of this row, once a common feature of 19th century cities, is truly impressive. It's pictured below.
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
The Stephen H. Farnam House, Oneida, NY
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The Stephen Farnam House, Oneida, NY. 1862 Photo: Doug Kerr |
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Photo: Carol |
It's the dominance of the shouldered, pointed arch that makes this house interesting, as if the builder fetishized that shape and fit in in to give the composition unity. A shouldered arch is an arch where the curve of the arch is interrupted by a vertical projection; in this case that projection is pointed. It's a fascinating shape since it combines curves and straight angles together. The porch has rectangular openings but features the shouldered arch running inside these openings with jigsaw cut-outs, similar to the porch down the street at the Shoecraft house. The same shape unifies the triple arched windows at the top of the tower and is repeated again in the base of the tower cornice. Commendable in this house as well is the retention of both the concave roofs on the porch, bay windows, and tower along with the delicate crestings. Hopefully the house will have a nice long life.
Monday, February 1, 2016
The Walrath House, Oneida, NY
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The Walrath House, Oneida, NY. 1866 Photo: Doug Kerr |
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Photo: Carol |
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