An elegant solution

[mark_chenail]

I was rummaging about in the HABS website (Historic American Building Survery) looking for some local history information and stumbled on this elegant little building.  Its a wonderful solution to a simple problem and I thought I would share it with you folks.  I cant quite read the text on the picture and map but I think this was originally sited behind the local church. Its unfortunately gone now. What do you all think of this fine example of late 18th c. architecture.  Note please the historical connection with General Israel Putnam.



Yes four holes.  Cant you just see General Putnam and 3 cronies swapping war stories in their golden years.  Still its a nice solution if you have a big family and you arent shy.

[glenn-k]

Cool Mark, and there seems to be room for a card table in the center --for those marathon games.

Note that it was a Federal project also.

[MikeT]

The building speaks for itself.  What I love in this forum is an occasional reference to historic structures and their enduring beauty.  The Historic American Building Survey and the Historic American Engineering Record  were terrific New Deal programs whose impact is still being felt.  I've been through terrific vernacular Texas cotton gins that were examined and drawn by HAER because of their innovative, accommodationist designs.  I've also been through many, many structures that have had HABS surveys done.  One can really learn a great deal by studying the structures and the drawings.

Enough rambling. Thanks for sharing.

[mark_chenail]

Yes the HABS survey is incredibly useful. Not only does it contain great monuments but it also has a wealth of very ordinary vernacular structures that I find very useful for design ideas and inspiration.  Its the little houses and structures of the past that often give me ideas.  While doing the search today, I came on some pictures of a mill tenement from a town near where I grew up.
I've been in more mill houses then I can count, but these had a rather unique design, Id not seen before. A large front room and stair hall that had been the kitchen/living room.  The back wall had three doors, left and right led to small bedrooms and the center room was a fitted pantry with a sink and window.  Beautiful but simple federal doorcases and windows and plain beaded wainscot and the rooms were full of light.  Just wonderful pictures. The buildings were photographed in the 1940s and have been gone for many years now, but even the slight record made by HABS has preserved a fine piece of elegant architecture.

GLENN:  LOL  Yes I thought that all the room needed was a central table for card playing and sipping madiera. You can just see a simple glass lantern hanging over the table.  And maybe a small stove for those nippy fall days and nights.

[Amanda_931]

Have we posted this before?  Buildings in all 50 states.  Including what they claim is an adobe building in Honolulu, probably really near Kawaiahou church.

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/habs_haer/

[glenn-k]

I don't remember that one, Amanda.

[mark_chenail]

Amanda:  Thats a great site, I use it all the time.  In fact that is where I found the outhouse drawings.  A real treasure trove of plans and details.