The John Foos House, Springfield, OH

The John Foos House, Springfield, OH. 1870 Photo: Wikimedia

The John Foos house at 810 is perhaps the most imposing Italianate in the East High Street Historic District. The house follows the symmetrical plan with a projecting central bay and is across the street from the Rinehart-Bowman house to which it bears a resemblance. It was built by John Foos in 1870, making it contemporary with the other houses in the area. Foos was one of Springfield's most important and diverse manufacturers, running mills and making sewing machines and agricultural equipment. The house's pretensions match Foos' wealth. It is faced in limestone and the facade is defined by a strong belt course molding and engaged pilasters at the corners. Everywhere the house has thick Renaissance detail embellished with carving, a level of elaboration characteristic of the 1870s. As in the Rinehart-Bowman house, the first floor windows are segmentally arched while those above are rectangular with Eastlake incosed carving. The surrounds have heavy molding, pilasters, columns, and brackets. The pilasters and the porch columns are broken up with horizontal bands; again, this level of elaboration and the complexity of the column with all those extra moldings are very 1870s. I personally like that the facade's plain stone sets off the elaboration around the windows. The porch itself features an impressive stone balustrade rather than the expected iron.

The cornice is paneled, featuring s curve brackets and is broken by windows. The central bay is particularly emphasized by a broken pediment with a central urn and jigsaw foliage carvings. This broken pediment is similar to that found in the Kies House in Cleveland. The painting of the cornice to resemble darker brownstone is appropriate to Victorian color schemes. Perhaps the most unique feature of the house is the second door on the left side, which is particularly odd. I am not sure why a second door was included on the front, but it might have led to Foos' office. At any rate, it is an unexpected feature. Also, the front of the house has a patio running the entire front facade with an iron fence surrounding it. With so many original and interesting details, the Foos house is one of the most impressive specimens in Springfield.

The Asa Bushnell House, Springfield, OH

The Asa Bushnell House, Springfield, OH. 1870. Photo Wikimedia.

Next door to the Rinehart-Bowman House at 825 E High St. is the Asa Bowman house, or rather the first Asa Bowman house (the family moved across the street to a grander Richardsonian Romanesque mansion in 1888). Asa Bushnell was an important manufacturer and governor of Ohio. The house is simple in its features; it follows the irregular plan but it lacks the expected tower, a not uncommon variation. The bay window on the projecting pavilion and the plainness of the side facade are often found on these types of plans. Interesting features include the use of white stone trim in contrast to the brick facade, particularly the belt course on the projecting pavilion and the way that the second floor is framed by slightly projecting architectural elements. Also of interest is the semi-circular window in the gable and the small molding that serves as the architrave in the gable. The cornice has thick s curve brackets and small hood moldings over the windows while the main door is simple with Greek Revival style side lights. Unfortunately the house has been somewhat mangled. The original entry porch has been replaced, and the box window on the side seems to have had its windows shortened.

The Rinehart-Bowman House, Springfield, OH

The Rinehart-Bowman House, Springfield, OH. 1873 Photo: Wikimedia

The Rinehart-Bowman House at 815 East High Street in Springfield, OH was built in 1873 and is an important element of the East High Street Historic District, which is home to several impressive homes in the Italianate and other styles. In the mid 19th century, this street became the most fashionable address in Springfield and remains a good example of a 19th century grand avenue. The builder of the house was John Rinehart, an important implement company owner and was sold in 1882 to S. Bowman, an attorney. The house is interesting in embodying important characteristics found in other Ohio Italianates. It is a symmetrical plan house with a projecting central bay, a common feature of the style. The facade is limestone over brick. The limestone features incised carving to express the architectural pilasters and architraves. The windows, of which those on the first floor are segmental arched and those on the second floor rectangular, feature shallow eared surrounding moldings, incised Eastlake ornament, and carved keystones. The cornice is of the paneled type with c and s curve brackets. A particularly lovely feature is the door which has carved pilasters, panels, urns, and a particularly lovely piece of rococo ironwork.