Thursday, July 29th

Chapter 1 Index

Learning more about your house

The more you know about your house, the more you'll enjoy it. Knowing its age and style and learning about the period when it was constructed will enable you to make better maintenance, repair, and rehab decisions. Ideally, we want to enhance the appearance of our homes in a way that will increase their value, complement our neighborhoods, and retain the historic integrity of the properties. Whether a house is simple and unadorned or replete with Queen Anne detailing, its design and the elements that comprise this design were carefully chosen to conform to styles that often developed over decades and even centuries. It is important to understand your house well enough to avoid compromising the design with inappropriate additions, subtractions, or repairs.

Your house might not easily fall within any of the following categories, or it might have details from two or more architectural periods. Don't worry if you can't place it in a particular slot; some houses simply cannot be identified by a particular style. It's perfectly acceptable, and sometimes preferable, to describe your house by its layout and details and forget about the style.

 

Colonial (1600-1800)

Architectural terms can be confusing. Rochester's newspapers are full of advertisements for "Colonial" homes, a term that many real estate agents use to describe any older home. But to be accurate, there are no Colonial structures in Rochester because this area was first settled in the early 1800s, after America's colonial period. In the late 19th and early 20th century, however, an interest in America's early architectural roots fostered the "Colonial Revival" style which you'll read more about later in this chapter.

New York State and the Northeast, however, have many fine examples of Colonial architecture. Various nationalities settled the east coast and other areas of this country. The styles that developed vary according to building traditions brought from Europe and the local materials that were available.

The end-gabled, two-story New England clapboard house is easily brought to mind by the "House of Seven Gables" example in Massachusetts. The Dutch Colonial house from the New York coastal area was a lower structure with a gambrel roof, flared eaves, or parapeted gables. A little lataer, the Georgian style became popular from the northern coastal areas all the way to the southern colonies. The Georgian-style house featured classic details such as quoins, dentiled cornices, and elaborate door enframements. Dormers or rows of prominent dormers were a distinctive feature of this design.

In southern Louisiana, styles evolved from the French tradition with an emphasis on comfort from the oppressive heat. Large windows and deep porches were common. Finally, in the Southwest, the Spanish created adobe houses with tile roofs and porches overlooking private courtyards.

 

Federal (1780s-1820s)

Rochesterville was established in the early 19th century, during America's Federal period of government. The local interpretation of the architecture from that time is known as the Federal style. The lightness, symmetry, proportion, and simple plan that characterized this style evolved from the English Adam brothers whose work was extremely influential here and in England during the last half of the 18th century. The Federal style featured details such as low-pitched roofs, narrow cornices, delicate moldings, and fan-shaped gable windows. Special attention was given tot he entrance way which often included a fan window, flanking side windows, and small porches.

Local examples of the Federal style vary from the high-styled Granger Homestead in Canandaigua to the modest Stone-Tolan Tavern here in Rochester. both of these house museums are open to the public and offer a rare glimpse into the early life and customs of the region. You'll find other good examples in the Village of Pittsford and in the Town of Clarkson.

 

Greek Revival (1820s-1850s)

Archaeological discoveries in Greece in the latter half of the 18th century captured the imagination of the West and, in particular, the newly independent American people. Throughout this country, public buildings, churches, schools, and houses imitated classic Greek temples, though usually in a simplified manner. Since Rochester was booming during this era, this style provides a major foundation to our architectural heritage.

Characteristics of the Greek Revival style include columns and pilaster, pedimented gables, wide entablatures divided into two parts, frieze windows, and cornice returns on gabled ends. Principal doorways were often flanked by sidelights with interesting uses of heavy moldings or pilasters.

The popularity of Greek Revival architecture coincided with the opening of the Erie Canal. As the population grew, thousands of houses and public buildings wee constructed in both literal and inventive versions of Greek forms. Few villages across New York State are without several examples. Locally, the Corn Hill Neighborhood in the Third Ward is a great place to examine this style. The Landmark Society's headquarters, the Hoyt-Potter House, and the adjoining Campbell-Whittlesey House Museum are wonderful examples of Greek Revival. Both are open to the public.

 

Gothic Revival (1840s-1870s)

The Gothic Revival style was adapted from famous Gothic churches of Europe and was a challenge to the advocates of the classical Greek and Roman forms of architecture. Pointed-arch windows, steeply-pitched roofs with deep overhangs, vertical board-and-batten siding, and decorative gable trim are hallmarks of the Gothic Revival style. Porches are supported by thin columns that are often grouped in pairs or clusters. Later in the century, various Gothic elements were mixed with new designs and styles.

Gothic Revival houses are rare in Rochester, but there are a few to see. The Danforth House at 200 West Avenue is a good board-and-batten example, the Bissell House at 666 East Avenue is a stone version and the 1870s townhouse at 149 S. Fitzhugh is the late Victorian Gothic style.

 

Italianate (1840s-1880s)

The Italianate style was derived from the villas of the Italian countryside. Two full stories, low-pitched hip roofs with cupolas, and expansive overhangs supported by decorative brackets are typical features of the style. These houses often had small porches and double entrance doors. Interior spaces were large with tall ceilings and massive decorative features. Italianate houses featuring prominent towers are called Italianate villas. The Italianate style was popular in New York State, particularly in rural areas. You'll find several in Corn Hill, especially on Fitzhugh Street.

 

Second Empire/Mansardic (1860s-1880s)

Deriving its name from the French Second Empire, this style is set apart by the use of the mansard roof, a prominent characteristic of French architecture. The mansard roof, named after the 17th-century French architect who first popularized it, was a way to diminish the apparent height or mass of a building and add a third story. Structures in the Second Empire style share many features with the Italianate style. In fact, adding a mansard roof was a popular method of remodeling Italianate homes. You'll find a great example of side-by-side Italianate and Second Empire on the corner of Plymouth Avenue and Troup Street in Corn Hill.

 

Eastlake (1870s-1880s)

Eastlake was a popular decorative ornamentation that was often applied to houses of other styles, such as Queen Anne. Eastlake detailing consisting of assorted knobs, spindles, and circular motifs (usually called "gingerbread"), is often seen on gable trim. Porches and verandas feature rows of spindles, posts, and brackets. Look for Eastlake detailing on houses around the Park Avenue and Mt. Hope neighborhoods, the Wadsworth Square neighborhood, and in the Susan B. Anthony Preservation District.

 

Queen Anne (1870s-1890s)

The Queen Anne style is characterized by a rambling floor plan, asymmetrical design, an eclectic mixture of materials, and an informal atmosphere. Distinctive traits include the combined use of brick or stone with shingles and clapboard, decorative exterior woodwork, steep gables, large and elaborate chimneys, round towers and turrets, bays, porches, and stained-glass windows.

Modest single-story versions of the Queen Anne style are sometimes referred to as Victorian cottages or Princess Annes. You'll find wonderful examples of the Queen Anne style in the Park Avenue area, the Prince-Alexander-Champeney-Kenilworth (P.A.C.K.) neighborhood, the 19th Ward, and also in the South Wedge.

 

Colonial Revival (1880s-present)

Colonial Revival style houses are based on the designs of houses that were popular from early colonization until the American Revolution in 1776. Interest in this style was renewed during the American Centennial of 1876 and has remained popular in various forms ever since. In the late 19th and early 20th century, adding Colonial details to an older home was a popular remodeling technique. After about 1920, a thorough re-creation of the Colonial style in new housing and in remodelings became popular.

One common example is the two-story end-gable home with a centered entrance and symmetrical, stacked placement of windows. Another common example is the Dutch variety with a gambrel roof. Typical details are dormers, centered entrances, dentil molding, fan lights, little or no cornice overhang, and various elements borrowed from the classical Greek and Roman architectural eras. Look for examples of the Colonial Revival along and adjacent to East Avenue, Highland Avenue, in the Canterbury/Harvard areas, in the Browncroft neighborhood, in the Maplewood neighborhood, and in every area of the city that developed in the 1920s.

 

Bungalow (1905-1920s)

The Bungalow or Craftsman house became popular just after the turn-of-the-century. They were an austere departure from the eclectic Queen Anne style or the studied Colonial Revival. Typical details were exposed rafters and support beams, tapered columns, paired or grouped windows, porches, and a low-pitched roof. Basic in design, they were highly publicized in national magazines and sold in kits available through firms like Montgomery Ward and Sears & Roebuck. Although scattered around the city, you'll find good examples on Bellevue Drive in the Ellwanger & Barry neighborhood, in the Culver/Merchants area, on Avenue D in the 14621 neighborhood, in Irondequoit along St. Paul Boulevard, and off Summit Drive in Brighton.

 

American Foursquare (1900-1920s)

Built to offer the most house for the least amount of money, there may never have been a more popular or practical house than the American Foursquare. Typical features of the Foursquare are a boxy, two-story body, hipped roofs, dormers, front porches, and deep overhangs. Most decorative features were saved for the front porch which could reflect either Colonial Revival details or Bungalow elements. A front-gabled version of the Foursquare is often found in the same neighborhoods or adjacent to the hipped-roof version. These houses usually feature the same or similar floor plans and like the Foursquare, have few architectural details except on the front porch. You don't have to look hard to find numerous examples; try the 19th Ward, Beechwood, and the Culver/Merchants neighborhood.

 

Tudor (1890s-1930s)

The Tudor style house was derived from early English sources. Steeply-pitched roofs, decorative half-timbering and casement windows are commonly found on most variations. Tudor houses in Rochester are usually brick or stucco with some finer examples built of stone. Interiors are frequently dark with stained trim, wainscotting, and doors. The hardware and lighting fixtures are often wrought or simulated wrought iron. This style is found in both modest and expensive neighborhoods. Look for great examples of Tudor houses along and adjacent to East Avenue, in the Browncroft and Cobbs Hill Drive neighborhoods, and in Brighton.

 

Moderne (1920s-1940s) International (1920s-1980s)

The Art Moderne and International Style have their roots in the European movement that shunned the long continuum of architectural tradition that they viewed as fussy, impractical and excessively ornate. Art Moderne styling is characterized by smooth plaster or concrete walls, flat roofs with scant cornice, curved or rounded corners, and horizontal bands of decoration. Look for glass blocks, metal-framed windows with no trim, and pipe railings. This was a popular style for commercial buildings, but was occasionally used in residential designs.

The International style was more rectilinear with flat roofs, metal casement windows sometimes placed on corners, cantilevered roofs or porches, and walls of windows. Walls were generally stucco or concrete with no decorative features.

 

Researching your house history

Researching the history of your house can be rewarding because the more you know about your house, the more you'll enjoy it. Research can reveal the physical history of the house-when it was constructed or changed-and also disclose interesting information about the people who lived in or owned the property and the development of your neighborhood. If you like history, it's also interesting to learn how the social and economic conditions at a specific time affected your house, its inhabitants, and the area.

Your property abstract is a great place to begin research. In Monroe County, an abstract lists former owners and the dates that a property changed ownership for the past 60 years. If you don't have an abstract, or if you think your property is older than the abstract specifies, conduct your own deed search at the County Clerk's office on West Main Street. Beginning with the most recent transaction, carefully follow sales backward as far as possible. Unfortunately, deeds only record the transfer of land; be alert to words like appurtenances (buildings or improvements) and to any drastic changes in the price of a property over a short time. For example, if a lot sold in 1872 for $100 and again in 1875 for $800, there's a good chance that a house was constructed on the lot between these years.

Rochesterians are lucky to have an excellent record of the city's history in old maps and city directories. Sanborne Insurance Maps and city or county maps often reveal when a neighborhood was developed or when houses were constructed. Many of these maps also indicate the floorplan or a bird's-eye view of the house which is helpful in determining if additions, wings, porches, or outbuildings existed at the time the map was published.

The Rochester City Directory dating from the mid-19th century to the present is also an excellent source. City directories list the inhabitants of a property by family name cross-referenced with a street address. The occupation of the tenant or owner is often included with the listing. Remember that the person living in a house may not be the owner.

The Landmark Society has researched and surveyed over 20 neighborhoods in the city. Most of this information is about houses, their history, and architecture. Call the Landmark Society to find out if your house has been surveyed.

The City of Rochester has maintained building permit records since 1898. These records might indicate when significant additions or changes were made to your house. To review these records, visit the Bureau of Zoning, Room 122B, at City Hall.

Other potentially reliable sources of information are former owners, longtime neighbors, and local historians. Although you should be careful about hearsay and second-hand information, you can often learn a lot by simply asking. If you're lucky, neighbors might have old family photographs that show your house in the background. Other good sources are church documents and cemeteries, old newspapers, tax assessor records, private or fraternal organization records, and probate court records.

Good places to conduct your research:

Wenrich Library Landmark Society of Western New York 133 South Fitzhugh St. 546-7029 x26

The Wenrich Library's collection of books, journals, maps, directories, photographs, etc. is completely dedicated to the area's houses and neighborhoods.

Rochester Public Library Local History Division 115 South Avenue 428-7300

Rochester Historical Society 485 East Avenue 271-2705

Monroe County Clerk's Office 39 West Main Street 428-5151

City of Rochester, Building Permits 30 Church Street 428-6526

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