County of house: Cooper County
Location of house: 4th St. & Chestnut St., NE corner, Boonville
Built: 1836-40
Architect/Builder: George Hain
Architectural Style: Vernacular
Original/Historic occupant: George Hain
Current Occupant: Friends of Historic Boonville
This knocker is of an old lamp mounted securely on the door, with a pendulum arm and ball that drops and creates the "knock".
The design of the base par, the lamp, is of old Mid-West street lamps from the turn of the century ( the 19th century), and not a common sight around these parts.
"18. Hain Residence, 412 4th Street, 1836-1840. The one and one-half story
log front section has an elongated frame ell composed of several
additions. It has a gable roof and is clapboarded." ~ NRHP Nomination Form
Built: c. 1836-1840
Style/Design: Vernacular
The front rectangular structure has end chimneys (N&S) and small attic story windows which indicates it was probably used as a loft. The W entrance is the 3rd bay to the S and has a gable cap and shutters. Windows are generally 6-over-6 with trabeated headers and shutters. Several additions extend to the E at
its N bay. There are 2 frame additions with gable roofs, a brick gabled ell which has rowlock segmentally arched headers, and a small pent frame addition. Along the S façade of these ells is a pent roofed open porch. Each frame addition has an entrance, the brick
addition has 2 entrances and the last pent addition appears as enclosed porch. Some structural problems are evident in the angles of the clapboarded additions and the roof ridges.
The last addition is in especially bad condition.
"The structure is significant as an early residence in its original condition and in one family for its entire existence. Oral history indicates that the structure
is built of logs covered by the original clapboard. The property was purchased in 1836 by
George Hain and it is believed the house was built shortly thereafter. The dates for construction of several ell additions are not known. George Hain, by 1869, was a horticulturist and since the inventory of his personal estate at the time of his
death relates he owned approximately 125 gallons of wine, we may assume that he was a vintner
to some degree. Deed records indicate that he owned a large tract of land east of the present
day Sombart Road, transversed by the present day MKT railroad tracks. Upon his death in
September 1877, his wife Sophia inherited the residence and lands; however, upon her subsequent marriage to Judge Sombart the house was given to George Hain, Jr. The structure has
remained in the Hain family for its entire existence.
The structure is significant architecturally on a local level as an early log structure.
"The residence sits immediately on the sidewalk facing W onto
4th. Street. It also runs directly along the alley to the N. It has a large wooded, fenced lot to the S, at the NE corner of 4th. and Chestnut Streets." ~ Boonville Historical Survey PDF pages 425-430