This week, I’ve been doing research on a building or two and decided to add another addition to our “Dating Your House” series. After spending some time in the Crawford County Courthouse this week doing some sleuthing on a building or two I’m documenting, it occurred to me (after asking for help several times…haha!) that this could be a daunting chore for those not accustomed to public records. A few weeks ago we talked about how to determine the period and architectural style of your home. What we did not cover, however, was determining who actually built your house! This long overdue article will cover just that. Ladies and gentlemen, let’s track down an owner or two, shall we?

 

 

Well…ok, so this is not really a step per se, but there are a few things one must remember when going to the courthouse. There are metal detectors and security guards at the courthouse doors (and with good reason), so let’s talk common sense. The easiest method of entering the courthouse and saving time doing so is to only bring what you need, thus avoiding bag checks, setting off the metal detectors, etc. Your must have list should be as follows:

 

 

Avoid pockets full of miscellaneous items that are unneeded for this trip to save time.

 

 

The first stop you should make in the courthouse is at the Assessor’s Office. This is where current property records are maintained for tax and value purposes. This may not be where you would think to start, but I assure you it saves steps.

 

First, locate your home on the maps available on the left hand wall in the back of the office based on your location in Crawford County (borough, township, city, etc.). This will give you your lot’s identification number which can then be used to pull up the card for your property in the file drawers in the center of the room. These are organized alphabetically by townships or city/borough and can be searched through rather rapidly with the lot number and location name. Your card will have your home’s value, your information (if you own this property, but even more helpful these cards often have the last several owners listed on them including who owned the property, when it was transferred, and possibly even deed book numbers to look at. You may be able to go back several decades without much effort this way. If you don’t find the card…just ask! Often new transfers or lots do not have a card immediately. Now we have this information, let’s move on to the next step!

 

This step can be the most fun and often the most time consuming! The Register/Recorder’s Office holds deeds, mortgages, agreements, etc and can be a wealth of information. Start with the information you received at the Assessor’s Office and find the earliest possible owner on this list. Then, if you have their deed information (book and page number), find that deed and check for who these people purchased it from. It may mention the last transfer in the deed (which is a great sign) including the deed book number and page. If so, keep tracking back using this method. If no “last sale” is mentioned, you must then look in the indexes. There are several sets of these spanning different date ranges. Most items from the last 30 years or so are on the computer and can be searched, however, prior to that, you much use the index and search for the last name. Most of these books have a legend at the top to help you find the correct page in the index. These records (the indexes) are arranged alphabetically by first name within being arranged alphabetically by last name. Thus, find the last name for your earliest owner and go from there. Take the book and page numbers from these to continue your search until you find various owners of your home. From here there are two places you can go.

 

If you run into a sheriff sale of the property (sold due to debt or unpaid taxes) you may need to cross the hall to the Prothonotary’s Office. Ask them for the records and they will refer you to their location. Otherwise, if you have the names and deeds of your home, head to The Crawford County Historical Society.

 

The last step in our search (other resources may be available elsewhere…other societies, the internet, and other records may be available) will often bring us to the historical society. We now have a list of names, sale dates, and prices. What do these mean? Here we will find out!

 

There are several resources you can use to put a life to a name at CCHS. Look in our obituary card file to see if you can find a newspaper obit for the builder or inhabitor of your house. This may tell you about their life and accomplishments. Ask the volunteer at the society to get you the city directories for your area as they may list the person and occupation. Newspapers sometimes listed new construction for each year. The History of Crawford County contains short bios of several of our earlier citizens. Check the photo card files, the marriages, and other records the staff suggest. Keep searching. Using some of these tips, you can find out who roamed the halls of your home. Who’s stories could the walls in your house tell you?

Now we’ve seen house “dating” put into an example using The Baldwin-Reynolds House, this week we’ll go over the basic architectural styles common in our area. Before we begin, a disclaimer is in order. I am not standing in your front lawn nor am I a trained architect, but the Curator of The Baldwin-Reynolds House. These articles are primarily for the purpose of getting readers more interested in local history, and in this case the history that you are literally sleeping and cooking in every day. This week, we are focusing on styles common from Federal to Italianate (or from Meadville’s founding to roughly mid 19^th century) and will get into more Victorian styles next week. If you would like more information on your house in particular, I suggest contacting the Crawford County Historical Society, who has a number of people interested in architecture and architectural history affiliated with them, or hiring an architect. On that note, onto “styling your home.”

 

The first houses in Meadville (and Crawford County) were primarily log structures as seen by the McGill House in Saegertown. These hewn log structures were often more focused on use rather than architectural detail, but as milled lumber became more common, frame structures followed and with them the Federal Style of architecture in this area.

 

The Federal Style is largely based on the Adams style of England. They are usually very proper in shape and design- often square, although may have oval bays on occasion. Simple doors with side lights and windows above are par for the course. These houses are the oldest buildings in Meadville.

The Greek Revival Style has an excellent example on Terrace Street in Meadville (haha…my office!). As the nation was trying to further separate itself from Europe, Greek Revival became a “national style of sorts,” featuring classical details from Greek Architecture. Large columns, porticoes, and heave cornices highlight this style. Smaller buildings not having pillars often featured pilasters, or flat column looking features physically attached to the building rather than free standing columns. This style spread from frame houses in New England to large brick plantations in Louisiana and everywhere in between.

Gothic Revival architecture has its roots in Medieval buildings in Europe. These structures are literally “cathedral” or castle like with a steep roof, often board and batten siding, multiple gables, and tall narrow windows.

 

The Italianate style contained many details suited for the warm climate in Italy. High ceilings with tall windows and flat or gently sloping roofs with overhanging cornices supported by wooden brackets were common features on these buildings. Balconies and verandas were common as well. To complete the style, cupolas or towers were often added atop these buildings. Although many Italianates were rather square or rectangular buildings, often bays, wings, and other additions to give a more picturesque effect were added.

Now, let’s take a look at popular architectural styles common in Crawford County that are High Victorian, ending in the first half of the 20^th century.

 

The style known as “Second Empire” takes root in France around 1860 thanks to the historical era France was undergoing with the same name. Prince Louis Napoleon became emperor of France in 1852, beginning to reshape the look of Paris buildings soon after. Much of “historic Paris” was influenced by Napoleon III (Louis Napoleon’s name as emperor).

 

This style is known for its most prevalent feature – the mansard roof. Steep mansards, a plethora of windows, and imposing balconies created a high society look that is typical of the Second Empire Home. Several examples of this style are seen on Terrace and Chestnut streets in Meadville.

Queen Anne houses are, to many, the epitome of Victorian homes. These houses seem to use nearly every architectural feature imaginable and the crazier the design the better. These homes began to take hold in England in the 1870s and were soon in America.

 

Typical features of a Queen Anne home include: turrets, gingerbread trim, spindlework, and large wooden porches. Tinted and stained glass windows are common, sunburst and other wood pattern siding on gables are found, and the more interestingly colored houses create the better examples.

 

American architect, Henry Hobson Richardson, developed his own style combining French and Spanish Romanesque architecture using heavy stone construction in several interesting combinations of style, color, and texture. His signature building was the Trinity Church in Boston build between 1872 and 1877.

 

Beaux Arts was a return to Classical style, these buildings were once again known for columns, pilasters, tooth molding along the building’s cornice, and a formality to the structure often are signatures of Beaux Arts and its middle class NeoClassical cousin.

 

 

Tudor Revival is based on medieval England buildings, however using much more modern materials. This style can range from cottages to mansions and nearly everything in between and is classified by steeply pitched roofs, half timber facades, and tall windows separated by mullions (wood dividers between several panes as seen with “six over six” or other patterns). This style faded by World War II, but made a return in the 1970s and is still seen today in new construction.