by Architectural Observer | May 15, 2018 | Blog, Observations
Recently I had the pleasure of touring a vacant farmhouse which has remained in the same family since its construction in 1918. Although the house has had many of the updates one would expect over the course of a full century, it has had far fewer of them than...
by Architectural Observer | May 6, 2018 | Blog, Observations
Recently I found this house pictured in a display of old photographs which had been reproduced for a fascinating display of local history at the Fick Fossil and History Museum in Oakley, Kansas (definitely worth a visit when traveling on I-70!). The house looked...
by Architectural Observer | Apr 24, 2018 | Blog, Observations
As is common with many architects, the early work of Bruce Goff was considerably different (much more mainstream) than his later work. The following three houses were built in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1918, 1919 and 1925 respectively. The first and third houses show a...
by Architectural Observer | Apr 23, 2018 | Blog, Observations
A veritable time capsule, this brick ranch house has somehow managed to resist many of the modern incursions which erode the architectural integrity of most mid-century houses. It recently caught my eye on zillow.com where more images are available. Recently...
by Architectural Observer | Apr 22, 2018 | Blog, Observations
Today we continue with the second part of our examination of the evolution (and occasional devolution) of the noble newel post! The newel post fades in and out of popularity during these years as housing forms and styles change. It’s no secret that American...
by Architectural Observer | Apr 17, 2018 | Blog, Observations
Newel posts – used to anchor the balustrade of an open staircase – have had many different looks over the centuries. Because of their high visibility at the foot of a stair, “starting” newels are often larger and more ornamental than secondary...