The War On Old Buildings – Part 3

The War On Old Buildings – Part 3

Now entering its terminal stage, the cancerous war on historic structures continues its relentless advance. The number of old buildings which have already been forever lost is mind-numbing and there is no end in sight. The accelerated removal of our historic...

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Our Ever-changing Orwellian World

Our Ever-changing Orwellian World

As a rule of thumb, people don’t blog because they hate it; they blog because they enjoy it! I used to love blogging and sharing my passion for history and quirky architecture with others… historic architecture has always been my passion; I can’t remember a time when...

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Inside Bruce Goff’s Adams House

Inside Bruce Goff’s Adams House

Currently listed on Zillow yet scheduled to be auctioned on May 12, 2023, the twelve-sided Adams house in Vinita, Oklahoma, remains surprisingly intact thanks to the fact that it has been in the same family for the past 56 years. Vinita judge John Quincy Adams...

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Boring but Necessary Improvements

Boring but Necessary Improvements

Progress at the Keys House has been slow recently, and the things that have been accomplished have been primarily of a maintenance-oriented nature. Boring stuff which itself necessitates further work to mitigate the damage done in the process of fixing other stuff....

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Beyond Creepy:  The Georgia Guidestones

Beyond Creepy: The Georgia Guidestones

In recent years we've looked at the stone carver's art as Halloween approaches -- both tombstones and mausoleums. This year we'll look at something much, much, creepier... Just over forty years ago, a large monument comprised of giant granite slabs was erected in a...

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Random Observations – Part 16

Random Observations – Part 16

It's that time of year again... time for the 16th annual Highway 36 “Treasure Hunt”, a three-day flea market which stretches across the northernmost tier of Kansas counties.  Fortunately we didn't find much to haul home this year, but I did take my camera along...

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Cresting Begins!

Cresting Begins!

The weather is still a bit warmish and we're not even done with the exterior repairs and painting but Jim was itching to see some cresting on the roof. A lecture on the virtues of delayed gratification did nothing to sway him. Just a few sections have gone up; I will...

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Lost Detail Newly Rediscovered!

Lost Detail Newly Rediscovered!

Work on the south side of the house is wrapping up; now the focus is on the northwest corner which has long been marred by a hideous 1970's carport. Both the carport and the concrete slab poured beneath it have contributed to water damage and other forms of...

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Recent Progress at the Keys House…

Recent Progress at the Keys House…

Following is a quick update on some of the latest progress and discoveries. Jim has been keeping his nose to the grindstone; let's take a look at his latest efforts: After liberating the house from its ghastly white vinyl shroud, Jim made repairs to the wood siding...

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Trees Arrive at the Keys House!

Trees Arrive at the Keys House!

After many delays over the course of many months (they were supposed to be planted last fall), the trees we selected to shade the Keys House have finally arrived! Trees have been a part of the landscape of this house since it was new; the various species -- and their...

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New Discoveries, Old Wallpapers Revealed…

New Discoveries, Old Wallpapers Revealed…

As you last remember, the kitchen of the Keys House was being relieved of decades of accumulated indignities (including carpeting, a drop ceiling and wall paneling). Similar work has been done in the bathroom and the north and south parlors -- allowing for new...

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Keys House Update

Keys House Update

Work continues to progress at the Keys House project, even if somewhat sporadically. Finishes are being peeled back in some rooms, shedding more light on their original appearances. On the exterior, the north and south walls have been relieved of vinyl and are being...

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Mausoleums:  Architecture for the Dead

Mausoleums: Architecture for the Dead

Happy Halloween, everyone! Today, in observation of just about everyone's favorite holiday, we'll take a look at a very special architectural form. People have long interred the dead above ground, and for a variety of reasons. Some locations with high water tables are...

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Random Observations – Part 15

Random Observations – Part 15

There has not been much downtime recently, and today I found myself with a whole two hours to kill! Jim had his second cataract surgery earlier today (and, yes, it went well... just like the first one). He was a little woozy coming out of it, but is fine and resting...

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You Just Never Know…

You Just Never Know…

You just never know what horrors are lurking beneath seemingly innocuous surfaces in a house (old or new) until you begin to investigate. The last few weeks have revealed numerous issues which will need to be resolved, but have also revealed many happy discoveries!...

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Work Resumes on the Keys House

Work Resumes on the Keys House

Little has happened at the Keys house in recent months, but that is beginning to change. We're finally able to devote some more time to the project and will continue pecking away it it in small increments. We've also found some things for the house which are of...

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Iowa’s Concrete Houses of the 1930’s

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...

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Old House Makeovers from Yesteryear

Old House Makeovers from Yesteryear

While many of us tend to idealize the past (rightly, in many ways), the past certainly had its share of imperfections. People have been altering and remodeling old houses ever since houses were first built. Today we'll go back in time 93 years and take a look at home...

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A 1970’s Shed Style House… Updated!

A 1970’s Shed Style House… Updated!

“Updated?!”  Those who frequent this blog will know that the word is typically only used here in a disparaging sense. Last summer, however, I was contacted by someone who had read my post about the Shed style. He and his wife happened to own a Shed style...

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Clues in the Attic

Clues in the Attic

On a whim, I ventured into the unfinished part of the attic last week. A previous jaunt had revealed some antique drapery rods and curtain hardware. What else may be hiding between the dusty joists? A chimney, ever so slightly stepped to the left, marks the transition...

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Window Sash Repaired and Painted

Window Sash Repaired and Painted

It's been over a month since I last posted! Partly because we've been really busy at our ever-expanding day job (the interior of the house may be finished, but now there are outbuildings and site work issues to tackle) and partly because not much has happened at the...

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A Petite Second Empire with a Big Attitude

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...

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Original Bay Window Paint Colors!

Original Bay Window Paint Colors!

Today I finished priming the bay window. It's all white and kind of boring, but it looks better than it did before and the wood will be protected during the winter months. I still have some (a lot of) caulking to do, so don't look too carefully! The scraping,...

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A Quick Update…

A Quick Update…

It's been seemingly forever since I last posted; it has been a busy time. Recently I took time off to visit the Decatur County Last Indian Raid Museum, which serves as a repository for local history, in the hopes of finding more information about the house and its...

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Inspired Design:  A Vision Takes Form

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...

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The Porch Supports Return!

The Porch Supports Return!

Today the house regained more of its dignity! Jim has been rehabilitating two of the beautiful -- but very decrepit -- porch supports off-site, and they have now recovered fully. It was time to bring them back! As you last remember, the house was looking quite sad...

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Extensive Porch Decay Revealed and Tackled!

Extensive Porch Decay Revealed and Tackled!

We knew that the vinyl siding was hiding lots of problems, but didn't know just how bad the damage would be. Yesterday we found out. While not attractive, the damage is absolutely repairable. It's unfortunate, but not a death sentence for the porch. Jim has been hard...

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More Clues, More Details

More Clues, More Details

I got an unexpected break yesterday when my chiropractor, after adjusting my back, forbade me from doing any ladder work right away. So, instead of working on the bay window, I explored the house a little bit more. The flash on my camera is working again (finally!)...

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Porch and Bay Window Restoration Begin

Porch and Bay Window Restoration Begin

With the days getting shorter and the exterior trim on the house getting more weathered, we decided to tackle the most vulnerable features of the exterior before the weather changes. Jim is working primarily on the porch and I'm working primarily on the bay window. In...

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The Architectural Observer rarely looks at “important” buildings; the focus is upon overlooked ones.  Some will be antique survivors which have come through time surprisingly intact.  Many will be old buildings which have been altered without regard to their stylistic integrity while others will be new construction which never had any stylistic integrity to begin with.

The decline of architectural integrity is just one more facet of the prolific and ongoing devolution of our culture.  The Architectural Observer calls it like it is!  Are there more important and pressing issues facing us now?  Yes, but everyone needs a distraction from those other issues once in a while.  And besides, this is relevant and much more fun!

There are four kinds of distractions here:

OBSERVATIONS  highlights the lowlights of our built environment – and observes occasional architectural details which might otherwise be overlooked.

PLAN BOOK AND KIT HOUSES examines structures built from mail order plans or actual kits.

PROJECTS follows the progress on a variety of design-related endeavors.

DRAG QUEEN ARCHITECTURE showcases buildings built in one style but which are trying to pass themselves off as a different style.

Let’s face it; we built better buildings in the eighteenth, nineteenth and early twentieth centuries than we do now.  Let’s take a cue from the past and start to remember how buildings are supposed to look and function.  Thanks for joining me – please use the contact form for polite inquiry or to gripe at me.