
19th Century Greek Revival architecture in Washtenaw County
Posted by:
GT.US
N 42° 12.012 W 083° 44.240
17T E 274004 N 4675632
Quick Description: This is a driving tour through Southern Washtenaw County. Many homes are private residences. The homes in this tour are meant to be viewed from the road. This drive is about 12 miles.
Location: Michigan, United States
Date Posted: 11/6/2008 4:04:29 AM
Waymark Code: WM53P8
Views: 16
Long Description:This Tour will follow the Southern Greek Revival Driving Tour in
this PDF
("http://www.ewashtenaw.org/government/departments/planning_environment/historic_preservation/histweb_tours/GreekRevivals_pdf"
target="_blank">visit link) . Please use it as a reference for
the Greek Revivival Architechture terminology. The stop
descriptions are from the Greek Revival Tour Document
Stop 1. 42 12.012 083 44.240 A significant resource, the Cody
Farm was designated as a Michigan Centennial Farm in 1989. It is
located on a tract purchased by the Cody family in 1836. The wood
Greek Revival house is a side gabled structure with a highly
detailed Italianate porch. The house and farm buildings remain
largely unchanged. The owners were relatives of Buffalo Bill Cody,
and tradition holds that he stayed at the farm when his Wild West
exhibition passed through the area.
Stop 2. 42 11.996 083 44.552 The Sutherland-Wilson Farm is now
surrounded by development, but was farmed by the same family for
over 150 years. The property was purchased by Langford Sutherland
in
1832. The house is a fine example of the New England one-and-a-half
cottage with a central hall and a combination of both Doric
and
square columns on the front porch. The farm is currently being
restored by the Pittsfield Township Historic Society. For more
information call 734-971-2384 or visit
www.pittsfieldhistory.org.
Stop 3. 42 11.972 083 45.886 Hurd-Tefft House 1880 Textile Road,
Pittsfield Township This side gabled one and-a-half story
house
was reportedly built by Stephen Mills in c.1850, for Arba Hurd
of
Dutchess County, NY. It was owned in the early 20th century by the
Tefft family. The house is constructed of adobe brick with a stucco
finish, both materials unusual to the Midwest. After the exterior
was coated with stucco, the builder scored it to resemble stone
block. This is one of several Washtenaw County houses of this type;
most are attributed to Mills.
Stop 4. 42 13.357 083 45.537 Lohr House
4456 Lohr Road This upright and double wing brick house was the
anchor of a prosperous farmstead with as many as fourteen
outbuildings at its peak the early 20th century. The house was
constructed c.1866, reportedly by local builder Stephen Mills,
during a time when the Greek Revival period was phasing into the
Italianate period. Elements of both styles are found on the house.
Greek Revival details include the pediment on the upright portion
and the square columns. Italianate influence can be seen in the
deep eaves and many brackets on the house.
Stop 5. 42 13.165 083 47.839 McCollum-Schmitt House 4576 Ann
Arbor-Saline Road Like many others in the area, this house is also
attributed to local builder Stephen Mills. It is consistent with
his characteristic materials of stucco exterior over adobe brick.
Built in
c.1850, it is a one-and-a half story New England cottage. Greek
Revival elements include the decorated grills at the frieze,
cornice returns, and square columns on the porch. The Schmitt
family bought the property in 1890 and it remained in that family
for many years.
Stop 6 42 15.293 083 49.566 Knight House 4944 Scio Church
Road
This house is a coursed cobblestone one-and-a-half story New
England cottage. It sits on a bank on the north side of the road,
almost out of view. It has stone quoins, heavy cornice returns, and
frieze windows which are larger than usual for this style. The
Knight
family owned the property as early as 1856. A schoolhouse was built
to the east, called the Knight School.
Stop 7 42 15.974 083 50.292 Pope House 1251 S. Zeeb Road A large
scale example of Greek Revival architecture, the Pope House
is
an upright and wing brick house with a thick frieze board, frieze
windows on the wing, and cornice returns. The steep roof, form, and
massing of this house indicate that it is a later example of the
Greek Revival style, at a time when architectural taste was
transitioning toward the Italianate style.