Hi friends! After soliciting your thoughts on our new old house's style in my last post, my awesome, house-buff friend Deb, suggested it might be an American Foursquare house with craftsman details. This led me to do a bit of research and I think she is right.
If you look at what we now consider the front entrance to the house, you'll see some of the classic American Foursquare details, including the two up, two down window placement configuration and the dormer. It does not have, however, the classic Foursquare or even Craftsman Bungalow front porch. Hmm...
Here are a few pictures of the American Foursquare homes:
A modern-day shot of a Foursquare (not our house):
Here is Wikipedia's description of the style:
"The American Foursquare or American Four Square is an American house style popular from the mid-1890s to the late 1930s. A reaction to the ornate and mass-produced elements of the Victorian and other Revival styles popular throughout the last half of the 19th century, the American Foursquare was plain, often incorporating handcrafted "honest" woodwork (unless purchased from a mail-order catalog). This style incorporates elements of the Prairie School and the Craftsman styles. It is also sometimes called Transitional Period."
I love this quote:
After looking at our house from the side entrance/sunroom enclosed porch, I have become more and more convinced it's just a modified American Foursquare. Take a look and let me know your thoughts:
The previous owner was only in the house for two years and either doesn't know or doesn't see the value in passing along any tidbits about the house's history. We know the house is from the 20's, but don't even know the exact year it was built. In the seller's disclosure she wrote "80-something years old..." For all we know it could be older... For all we know it could have been the scene of a great murder mystery! Sorry, Nick and I have been watching Foyle's War on Netflix, so I'm kind of obsessed with mysteries these days. I'll have to make a trip to the library to check out the public records.
In the meantime, I have already done a bit of sleuthing and found out some cool facts about our house. Nerd alert: I feel the need to tell you I have spent much too much time the Historic Joplin website and am even considering volunteering at next year's Murphysburg Historic District Christmas Dickens' Festival and/or quite possibly becoming the only Historical Society member under the age of 65, but I digress...
Apparently, a prominent bean broker (didn't know there was such a thing) by the name of Fon L. Johnson was one of the home's early residents. Oh, and our neighborhood's name is Roanoke, but it's also called Snob Hill because it was home to all the wealthy Joplinites back in the day.
Once we move in, I'll snap some shots of the walls of the basement stairwell, which were wallpapered back in the 1940's with magazine ads and pin-up girls. Scandalous! Maybe some strategic poster placement is in order.
All this talk of history and intrigue begs-- nay, demands, a five second homage to Nicolas Cage and National Treasure-- the most historically accurate and riveting thriller of all time:
That's all for today. I sense the end of Collin's nap time is nigh!
If you missed the interior pictures of the house, check them out here.
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