County of house: Cooper County
Location of house: 4th St., 2nd house S. of Chestnut St., east side, Boonville
Built: 1892
Architect/Builder: H. Sombart
Architectural Style: Second Empire with Prairie Type Roof
Original/Historic occupant: Henry E. & Julia Sombart
Current Occupant: Monte Coulter
"20. Coulter Residence, 510 4th Street, 1892. Remodeled several times, the
structure now has a tile, hip roof. It is two and one-half stories,
brick, and has a two-story brick and frame porch and a double leaf
entrance." ~ NRHP Nomination From
"Built: 1892
Style/Design: Second Empire
Originally the house was built in a
Second Empire style with a slate covered mansard roof. However after
a fire in 1921 the current Prairie type extended eave, tile covered,
hip roof was added. This roof has a large hip dormer to the W. A
contemporary porch was also added. It is 2 stories with brick columns
and balustrade on the 1st story, frame columns and balustrade on the
2nd. story. The roof and porch give a blocky quality to the residence
but does not really destroy the earlier historical merit of the residence.
The original structure had a 2 story chamfered bay on the S of the W façade. Around
the turn of the century the roof of this bay was altered and was capped by a polygonal roof
with 3 pedimented dormers and an ornate finial. The 1st story window was also altered to
form a wide opening with a semi-circular header and molded, corbelled brick hood-mold. This
bay has a sill course on both levels. The 2nd. story windows are like those on other façades.
This general window type is l-over-l, and has a segmentally arched soldier course header with
stone keystone and extended skews. These forms together echo the straight-sided arch typical
of the style. Often these windows are paired and have a center bull's eye motif and pilaster.
The central double door entrance repeats this motif and has a transom. A 2nd. story singleleaf entrance is directly above. The NW corner has a projecting rectangular 2 story bay set
at an angle, which originally had a gable cap. This is indicated by the fact that the brick
work extends above the roof level and now has its own hip cap.
On the N. façade (NE corner) is a 2 story circular bay which originally had a frame balustrade with access form an attic dormer. On the S. is a projecting 2 story rectangular bay.
Before the 1921 fire, semi-circular dormers were added to the S & W.
The E. façade has an original 2 story brick ell on the S. The N. façade of this ell has
a 1st and 2nd. story entrance with frame steps and porch to the 2nd. story. Windows generally
have soldier and double rowlock course, segmentally arched headers. There is a Palladian type
window on the 1st story of the S. façade. Several windows on the S. & E. facades have been altered to a 3 part window type with bungaloid lights and no headers. A kitchen has been added
in this area. A 1 story frame addition with a concrete foundation, pent roof, and asbestos
siding is to the E. of the original rectangular bay to the S.
Interior features include cherry woodwork, cherry stairway, where an entrance was originally, wide halls, 11 foot ceilings, and parquet floors on the 1st story in the 2 parlors and
library. Marble slabs are under the 2nd. story radiators. The 1st story has been altered to
form an apartment. The 2nd. story was altered in 1947 to an apartment. The maid's room was
changed to a kitchen. It has access from the original back stairs. There were originally 3
bedrooms upstairs. The 3rd. story was used as a ballroom. It's large ornate cherry stairway
has an ornate newel post light in the form of a female statue.
"Built for Henry E. & Julia Sombart in 1892. Henry Sombart (1863-1916),
owned and operated the Sombart Milling Company, Directed the Farmers Bank of Boonville, founded the Citizens Trust Company and was chairman of the Boonville Water Works. The house was
later inherited by his son George W. Sombart who lived within till he built his new home on
the lot to the east of this house 1n 1930. Upon the death of G.W. Sombart the house was
left in trust to Mrs. G. W. and Kathryn Sombart.
Following a fire in 1921 the second story was converted into a separate apartment
by converting the maids bedroom into a kitchen. Renters from this period to present are:
J.E. & Anne Gleason. John & Mary Sanders, Minnie Talbert, Bruce Callis, and Jimmy O'Hara.
Monte Coulter a son-in-law of Mrs. G.W. Sombart has resided in the first floor apartment since
1976. Significant historically on a local level as residence of a prominent merchant and
important family of Boonville.
"The structure sits on a large open lot f acing W. onto 4th. Street. Originally Marl Street ran to the S., however when the garage was added this street
was removed. Now a concrete drive which runs along the S. of the residence connects the garage to 4th Street; a gravel drive connects it to the E. alley. The garage built c. 1915 was used only as a garage however it resembles a larger carriage house. Facing W. it has a projecting bay 2 stories with a Flemish gable to the N. and a l story pedimented parapet with a
round window at this level on the S. Between these bays is a large garage entrance with small
flanking windows. This entrance is currently closed up and the garage is entered through a
new opening in a frame pent addition in the N. façade. Pent dormers are centrally located E.
& W. The S. façade has a pedimented parapet with an attenuated attic story window with a soldier course semi-circular header. 1st story windows have double rowlock segmentally arched
headers. These windows are repeated on the E. façade. A chimney is also on this façade. The
foundation of this structure is battered concrete. A small brick outbuilding sits directly
to the E. of the residence. It has a belcast hip roof. Its entrance on the W. has a rowlock
segmentally arched header. A l story Butler building (metal) sits at an angle to the NE of
the residence. It has a gable roof." ~ Boonville Historical Survey PDF pages 453-460