Iowa’s Concrete Houses of the 1930’s
In an effort to popularize and promote the use of concrete in residential construction, a now-obscure booklet was published by the Portland Cement Association's Des Moines, Iowa, chapter sometime around 1940. Simply titled Iowa Concrete Houses, this little gem of a...
A Retro Look at the Motel… Our Home Away from Home!
Spring has officially sprung here, and I've been itching to get out and about. Usually by this time of year I've already posted about an annual auction we attend. This year, however, (as you can surely guess) it was held online. I didn't even bother with it. More than...
1960’s Time Capsule Interior Falls Victim to Banal Makeover
Another one bites the dust. For the second time! A Second Empire "twin" house in Philadelphia's Germantown neighborhood, built around 1880, witnessed an exhaustive makeover in the late 1960's in a semi-successful effort to transform the narrow townhouse into a...
A Petite Second Empire with a Big Attitude
Likely built in the 1870's, this surprisingly small Second Empire style house definitely thinks big as it displays details more typical of a house five times its size. Built of native stone in the Kansas vernacular, the house has languished for years, appearing to...
“Design” on Wheels: Inside a Campy Camper!
Sometimes I'm drawn to the kitschy and camp as well as the practical and refined. I'm generally not a fan of vehicles of any sort, but earlier this fall friends showed me the interior of their recent acquisition... a 1978 Delta Motorhome. I was impressed! Today, I'm...
The Stereotyping of Old Houses as “Haunted”: A Look Back at the Indoctrination!
Happy Halloween, everyone! Have you ever wondered why it is that popular opinion has long viewed old houses as creepy, scary and almost certainly "haunted"? Many will be quick to blame television -- or Hollywood in general -- but movies are only partly to blame. The...
Inspired Design: A Vision Takes Form
Recently I attended a birthday party for a retired friend -- the location of which was his outdoor entertaining area. A multi-year construction project, the site is now nearing completion. Built entirely from scrap or otherwise salvaged items, the structures there...
A Craftsman Bungalow Denuded: A Look at the Lath Beneath the Stucco
A Craftsman bungalow -- built with a stucco exterior -- is in the process of being clad in vinyl siding. In a presumed effort to facilitate the installation, all of the original stucco is being removed. Amazingly, the stucco had never been painted and featured a...
The Odd Blue Doors Explained…
Much like porch alterations, replacement doors have the ability to change the way a house looks or is perceived. Unfortunately, most people just buy what they like and give little thought to maintaining the architectural integrity of the exterior when purchasing a new...
Don’t Try This at Home: History Trashed, and at Great Expense
Recently while perusing area real estate listings I ran across an all-too-common offering -- the unfinished renovation of a house which had retained a good deal of originality prior to being gutted to the studs. At least it affords us the opportunity to take a...
A Visit to the Cottonwood Ranch
Built in three stages beginning in 1885, the house at Cottonwood Ranch in Studley, Kansas, reflects not only the place and time in which it was built, but incorporates some traditions of builder John Fenton Pratt's native Yorkshire, England, as well. The center...
A Gothic Revival with a Jerkinhead Roof!
Now that's something you don't see every day... especially on the High Plains of northwestern Kansas! Both the architectural style and the roof type are atypical of the region. The Jerkinhead roof, a compromise between a gabled roof and a hipped roof, is used with...
The War On Old Buildings – Part 2
The ongoing war against the remnants of our historic built environment continues unabated. Our previous examination of this topic (Part 1) dealt with elementary school textbooks which propagandized children and instilled a bias against historic buildings in the...
“Reading” an Old House
Most old houses have had alterations over the years -- very few come down through time just as they were built. Unless a house was altered with an extreme attention to maintaining details, it is usually possible to get a fairly good idea as to what the house looked...
Pop Quiz: What’s Wrong With This Picture?
Each house or building in the following six photos has at least one thing wrong with it -- from the viewpoint of architectural or physical integrity, that is! Some are quite obvious while others are a bit more subtle; some will have multiple offenses while others may...
Exploring a Doomed 1950’s Ranch House
It's déjà vu all over again! Remember the empty 1880's farmhouse we recently looked at? Well... this ranch house was built a stone's throw away by its former inhabitants -- quite a change of pace! Unfortunately, both houses have extensive termite damage and the new...
Door Hardware, Part Two: 1850 to 1900
In Part One we looked at some types of door hardware which were common prior to the mid-nineteenth century -- latches and rim locks made of iron. While mortise locks were in use, they were not common. Surface-mounted rim locks remained popular in the latter half of...
Empty for Sixty Years: Inside a Modest 1880’s Farmhouse
When a vernacular farmhouse on the High Plains of western Kansas was abandoned in favor of a sleek new ranch-style house in the mid 1950's, it was emptied and forgotten about. It had received minimal (if any) maintenance in the following sixty-odd years and is today...
Auction Action – Part 3
This past weekend I attended an annual consignment auction hosted by the Lions Clubs. As usual, there were a few things of architectural or design interest. I didn't buy anything this year because the few things I wanted to bid on were not going to be offered until...
Prim 1880 Second Empire House Harbors 1960’s Time Capsule Interior
The exterior of this c. 1880 twin house in Philadelphia's Germantown neighborhood does little to suggest the surprisingly intact mid-century makeover found inside. Late 1960's aesthetic preferences popular with the masses abound: Fake masonry, fake paneling, fake...
Awkward Alterations, Part Two
Today we'll look at two different types of alterations which can negatively impact how we perceive a structure. Sadly, the following examples are fairly tame... there are countless others which are far worse. The first category, Indifference, will highlight houses...
The Piano Nobile
Have you ever thought that some older buildings seem to be oddly proportioned -- perhaps a bit top-heavy? Often there is nothing wrong with their proportions; the problem may instead be with our modern perception of what a building's exterior should look like (and how...
Door Hardware, Part One: 1800 to 1850
Door hardware, like other architectural details, can often help to guestimate the age of the house when its history is unknown. However, this method is only reliable when it is known with certainty that the hardware in question is original to the house. Hardware, like...
The Johnson House by Charles Haertling
One of architect Charles Haertling's many fascinating contributions to the city of Boulder, Colorado, is currently on the market allowing a peek inside this interesting house. Known for their frequent mix of modernism and organic architecture, his designs are highly...
Queen Anne Window Sash
The impact original window sash can have in an historic building in terms of enhancing and maintaining architectural integrity is enormous yet frequently undervalued. In addition to the shape and size of the window openings themselves,...
Every Trick in the Book: A TV-Inspired Flip of a 1965 Ranch House
OK, I'll admit it; the house we're about to look at was never a great piece of architecture. But it did have its own character which was reflective of the mid-century suburban neighborhood in which it was built. My issue with the house is not that it was remodeled,...
Off the Beaten Path in Abilene, Kansas
While Abilene, Kansas, has long been noted for its many fine Victorian-era houses and colorful early cow-town history, not much (if any) attention has been given to the plan book and manufactured kit origins of some of the town's houses. The town is primarily known,...
The Architecture of Red Oak, Iowa: Then and Now in Photos
When I was in my teens I was given a small book by my parents who understood my passion for nineteenth century buildings. Published around 1900 or so by the Red Oak Commercial Club (which I'm guessing was something akin to the Chamber of Commerce) the book, simply...
Unconventional Window Alterations – Part 3
Double Feature! Today we'll look at two structures which are recent recipients of altered fenestration... Recipient # 1 After a period of stagnation, work appears to have restarted on the second re-interpretation of a former church building in a nearby town. The...
Inside a 1952 Time Capsule House
Who doesn't love a good time capsule? This one, built in 1952 in Gladewater, Texas, has been on Zillow for about 10 days and is already generating lots of interest online; I ran across it when a reader shared it on the always mesmerizing Old House Dreams. While not...
An Art Deco Facade by S. S. Voigt
Dominated by large steel windows filled with green slag glass, this Masonic Temple in Oberlin, Kansas, was built in 1931. The buff brick facade is elaborated with glazed terra cotta ornament which enhances the Art Deco styling of the building. Although the ground...
The Frank Brumback House by Louis Curtiss
Admirers of the work of Louis Curtiss don't normally associate the architect with the Colonial Revival, yet this house in Kansas City is an interesting example of the style and it demonstrates the architect's versatility. Despite the outwardly staid impression of the...
Boo! Scary Alterations That Actually Happened…
It's that time of year again; a time when haunted houses bask in fleeting celebrity and a time when the horrific gains new prominence. Speaking of horrific, get a load of these formerly normal structures which have received creepy alterations... and have a happy...
Exploring a Big Old Abandoned Farmhouse
Long abandoned, this c. 1905 Folk Victorian farmhouse has unusually nice detailing for its geographic location, even if those details aren't all stylistically consistent! Though re-sided in the mid-twentieth century, enough of the siding has fallen off to reveal the...
Organic Architecture: The Disputed “Round House” in Dallas
When is a Bruce Goff house not a Bruce Goff house? When the architect and his protégé client have a dispute. Such is the case with the semi-circular "Round House" in Dallas, Texas. Built over a course of nearly six years beginning in 1957 by importer Eddie Parker...
Quirky Mid-Century Carport Beaten into Submission; Reduced to Mediocrity
Likely built in the 1920's, this former Craftsman style bungalow had been given a stylish makeover in the mid-twentieth century in a presumed effort to make the house look more like a contemporary ranch style. While the jaunty lines of the carport were at odds with...
A Weekend of “Treasure Hunting”
Last weekend I had the pleasure of taking in the 12th annual Highway 36 "Treasure Hunt", a three-day flea market which stretches across the northernmost tier of Kansas counties. While I didn't traverse the entire state, I did tackle much of the western half, and...
Grand Canyon / Fred Harvey Idol Mary Colter Exposed as a Fraud!
"Every year, the National Park Service tells millions of visitors to Grand Canyon National Park that Mary Colter (1869-1958) designed landmark structures there. Two movies, two plays, two biographies, and countless magazine and newspaper articles have lauded...
Random Observations – Part 14: Post Rock Edition
Today's observations were made in north-central Kansas, an area distinguished by structures built of native limestone. The region is known locally as "post rock country" because of the numerous stone fence posts created by early settlers. The use of stone for both...
WPA Rustic: Let’s Go to the Park!
A product of the Works Progress Administration (WPA), the city park of Hill City, Kansas, remains as a beautiful and functional example of numerous similar projects scattered around the country. Built in the WPA Rustic style, the structures found here incorporate...
Random Observations – Part 13
Just back from a road trip! Today, a collection of miscellaneous structures and details stretching from southwest Nebraska to central Kansas. There's no particular theme; all just have something of interest: ...
Remnants of a Sod House
Houses built of sod were once plentiful across the Great Plains where trees were scarce. Built of blocks of earth cut from the ground, the later and more refined versions also incorporated many purchased materials such as windows, doors and dimensioned lumber for the...
Warehousing People – The Sequel
Last September I posted about a senior storage facility er, "senior apartments" which I found to be disturbing for several reasons. I recently ran across a similar project which gives the bleak and utilitarian exterior an additional synthetic twist: ...
A Look at Two House Flips
House-flipping has been popular for a long while - and the trend has been made even more popular by television. Not all flips are created equal, however! Since I haven't been able to take any road trips lately, I decided to sift through Zillow and find some flips to...
Mary Rockwell Hook: Ahead of Her Time
Among the numerous imaginative architects who practiced in Kansas City, Missouri, in the early twentieth century was Mary Rockwell Hook. Her style was reflective of her travels and education; the substantial houses she designed have contributed to the enduring...
Concrete on the Farm c. 1920
In the previous post, we looked at the remains of an early twentieth century farm house. Today we'll take a look at the role that concrete played on this farm: a barn, stock tank and cistern - all made from it. Bonus feature: a windmill tower made of scrap metal!...
Ruins of An Early 20th Century Farm
Ruined structures have long been a favorite subject for artists because of their frequent poignant beauty. While the term "ruin" typically conjures up images of ancient stone structures crumbling in lush landscapes beneath invasive trees and vines, a similar - but...
Architectural Integrity and the Row House
Readers of this blog are already familiar with the value of architectural integrity - especially where historic buildings are concerned. In a neighborhood of stylistically varied houses it is possible for a few of them to be compromised without visually ruining an...
The Daisy Automatic Weather Strip for Doors
Antique mechanical contraptions have long intrigued me, and the Daisy Automatic Weather Strip for Doors does not disappoint! Discovered by Jim while recently exploring a long-vacant farmhouse, the device is still in operating condition after 101 years! A deteriorated...
Unusual Moderne House with Ramp – not Stairs
Built sometime around 1940 by its original occupant, a man who was innovative and interested in modern design, this house in Salina, Kansas, does not look much like its neighbors. After nearly 80 years it still has a futuristic air to it. I encountered a family...