Carpenter Gothic

Last updated
Aaron Ferrey House, Kent, Ohio, an example of Downing's Form III Aaron Ferrey House.jpg
Aaron Ferrey House, Kent, Ohio, an example of Downing's Form III
Grace Episcopal Church (Georgetown, Colorado) GraceChurchGeorgetownColorado.jpg
Grace Episcopal Church (Georgetown, Colorado)
Springside in Poughkeepsie, New York Springside gatehouse.jpg
Springside in Poughkeepsie, New York
Christ Church, Fort Meade, Florida Christ church.jpg
Christ Church, Fort Meade, Florida
Oak Hill Cottage, Mansfield, Ohio: Carpenter Gothic trim on a brick house in the manner of A.J. Davis's Rural Residences Oak Hill Cottage and Museum.jpg
Oak Hill Cottage, Mansfield, Ohio: Carpenter Gothic trim on a brick house in the manner of A.J. Davis's Rural Residences
The Seth House in Albuquerque, New Mexico - Built in 1882 20160318172037599851000000-o(1).jpg
The Seth House in Albuquerque, New Mexico – Built in 1882

Carpenter Gothic, also sometimes called Carpenter's Gothic or Rural Gothic, is a North American architectural style-designation for an application of Gothic Revival architectural detailing and picturesque massing applied to wooden structures built by house-carpenters. The abundance of North American timber and the carpenter-built vernacular architectures based upon it made a picturesque improvisation upon Gothic a natural evolution. Carpenter Gothic improvises upon features that were carved in stone in authentic Gothic architecture, whether original or in more scholarly revival styles; however, in the absence of the restraining influence of genuine Gothic structures, [1] the style was freed to improvise and emphasize charm and quaintness rather than fidelity to received models. The genre received its impetus from the publication by Alexander Jackson Davis of Rural Residences and from detailed plans and elevations in publications by Andrew Jackson Downing.

Contents

History

Carpenter Gothic houses and small churches became common in North America in the late nineteenth century. [2] Additionally during this time, Protestant followers were building many Carpenter Gothic churches throughout the midwest, northeast, and some areas in the south of the US. [3] This style is a part of the Gothic Revival movement. [4] For example. these structures adapted Gothic elements, such as pointed arches, steep gables, and towers, to traditional American light-frame construction. The invention of the scroll saw and mass-produced wood moldings allowed a few of these structures to mimic the florid fenestration of the High Gothic. But in most cases, Carpenter Gothic buildings were relatively unadorned, retaining only the basic elements of pointed-arch windows and steep gables. Probably the best known example of Carpenter Gothic is the house in Eldon, Iowa, that Grant Wood used for the background of his famous painting American Gothic . [5]

Characteristics

Carpenter Gothic is largely confined to small domestic buildings and outbuildings and small churches. It is characterized by its profusion of jig-sawn details, whose craftsmen-designers were freed to experiment with elaborate forms by the invention of the steam-powered scroll saw. A common but not necessary feature is board and batten siding. Other common features include decorative bargeboards, gingerbread trim, pointed-arched windows, wheel window, one-story veranda, and steep central gable. [6] A less common feature is buttressing, especially on churches and larger houses. Exterior elements like pointed arches made their way inside the homes as well. This can be seen in pointed arch openings and doorways. [7]

Ornamental use

Being a part of the Gothic Revival, the ornamentation in Carpenter Gothic is much more eclectic, it uses more superficial and obvious motifs. [4] Specifically, Carpenter Gothic ornamentation, referred to as gingerbread, is not limited to use on wooden structures but has been used on other structures especially Gothic Revival brick houses such as the Warren House in a historic district in Newburgh, New York, which is said to epitomize the work of Andrew Jackson Downing, but was actually done by his one-time partner, Calvert Vaux. Ornamentation can be seen in the interior as well. Many elements in the interiors were highly crafted such as staircases, walls, ceilings, and fireplaces. [7] Examples of this ornament use include wainscoting, ceiling beams or coffered ceilings, and ornate wallpapers. [7] Gothic style furniture was also used. [7]

Geographic extent

Carpenter Gothic structures are typically found in most states of the United States, except Arizona and New Mexico. There is one Carpenter Gothic in the Huning Highlands Historical District in downtown Albuquerque circa 1882 built by the Seth family who lived there until 2002. Many Carpenter Gothic houses were built in Nevada in the 1860–1870s (Virginia City, Reno, Carson City, and Carson Valley areas) and still exist (2010). Although this style was most common in northern America, nowhere else had built as many churches as in Florida between 1870 and 1900. [3] In Canada, carpenter Gothic places of worship are found in all provinces and the Northwest Territories, while Carpenter Gothic houses seem to be limited to Ontario, Quebec and the Maritime Provinces. [8]

Endangered Carpenter Gothic buildings

Many American Carpenter Gothic structures are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which may help to ensure their preservation. Many, though, are not listed and those in urban areas are endangered by the increased value of the land they occupy.

A current example of this is St. Saviour's Episcopal Church, Maspeth, New York, built in 1847 by Richard Upjohn. [9] It was sold to a developer in 2006. Its rectory had already been demolished and a deal with the City of New York to preserve the church in exchange for higher density on the remaining vacant land fell through and the parcel went on the market for $10 million. [10]

After a number of postponements, in March 2008, just hours before the final deadline to demolish the church, a deal was struck with a local community group, whereby they were allowed time to raise money to move the structure. At a cost of some $2 million, the building was reduced to its original appearance and dismantled into pieces, so it could be transported through the narrow, winding streets of the neighborhood. It was reconstructed on the grounds of a cemetery in the nearby neighborhood of Middle Village, where it is now used for community activities. [11]

"American Gothic"

"American Gothic" is a painting by Grant Wood from 1930. It depicts American rural life with its subject being a “stern” looking father and his daughter in front of a small Carpenter Gothic style house. [3] Wood's inspiration came from a cottage designed in the Carpenter Gothic style with a distinctive upper window [12] and a decision by the artist to paint the house along with "the kind of people I fancied should live in that house." [13]

Steamboat Gothic

Langdon House, Cincinnati, Ohio, an example of Steamboat Gothic LangdonHouse.jpg
Langdon House, Cincinnati, Ohio, an example of Steamboat Gothic

Steamboat Gothic architecture, a term popularized by Frances Parkinson Keyes's novel of that name, [14] is sometimes confused with Carpenter Gothic architecture, [15] [16] but Steamboat Gothic usually refers to large houses in the Mississippi and Ohio river valleys that were designed to resemble the steamboats on those rivers. [17]

Recent examples

St. Luke's Church in Blue Ridge, Georgia, was built in 1995. [18] Houses and churches are sometimes built in the Carpenter Gothic style into the 21st Century.

Outside North America

Many nineteenth-century timber Gothic Revival structures were built in Australia, [19] and in New Zealand – such as Frederick Thatcher's Old St. Paul's, Wellington, and Benjamin Mountfort's St Mary's, but the term "Carpenter's Gothic" is not often used, and many of their architects also built in stone.

Churches, synagogues, etc.

Houses

Plain

Ornate

Ornamental use

See also

    Related Research Articles

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Upjohn</span> British architect

    Richard Upjohn was a British architect who emigrated to the United States and became most famous for his Gothic Revival churches. He was partially responsible for launching the movement to popularity in the United States. Upjohn also did extensive work in and helped to popularize the Italianate style. He was a founder and the first president of the American Institute of Architects. His son, Richard Michell Upjohn, (1828-1903), was also a well-known architect and served as a partner in his continued architectural firm in New York.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Cathedral Church of St. Paul (Detroit)</span> Historic church in Michigan, United States

    The Cathedral Church of St. Paul is the cathedral church of the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan. In 1824 its congregation formed as the first Episcopal and first Protestant church in the Michigan Territory.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Mediterranean Revival architecture</span> Design style during the 20th century

    Mediterranean Revival is an architectural style introduced in the United States, Canada, and certain other countries in the 19th century. It incorporated references from Spanish Renaissance, Spanish Colonial, Italian Renaissance, French Colonial, Beaux-Arts, Moorish architecture, and Venetian Gothic architecture.

    Minard Lafever (1798–1854) was an American architect of churches and houses in the United States in the early nineteenth century.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Episcopal Church of the Nativity (Huntsville, Alabama)</span> Historic church in Alabama, United States

    Episcopal Church of the Nativity is a church in Huntsville, Alabama. It was built in the Gothic Revival style in 1859. It is noted as one of the most pristine examples of Ecclesiological Gothic architecture in the South. It is also one of the least-altered structures by architect Frank Wills and one of only thirteen surviving houses of worship designed by him in the United States. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1990.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Andrew's Episcopal Church (Prairieville, Alabama)</span> Historic church in Alabama, United States

    St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, also known as St. Andrew's Church is a historic church building on County Highway 12 in Prairieville, Alabama. Built by slaves in 1853, it is a remarkably well-preserved example of Carpenter Gothic architecture, its design apparently taken from a book by Richard Upjohn. St. Andrew's was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 7, 1973, and was declared a National Historic Landmark on the same day. Public access is allowed to this National Historic Landmark.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Luke's Episcopal Church (Cahaba, Alabama)</span> Historic church in Alabama, United States

    St. Luke's Episcopal Church is a historic Carpenter Gothic church, built during the 1850s at Cahaba, the first capital of Alabama from 1820 to 1826. The unknown builder closely followed plans published by architect Richard Upjohn in his 1852 book Rural Architecture.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Waldwic</span> Historic house in Alabama, United States

    Waldwic, is a historic Carpenter Gothic plantation house and historic district located on the west side of Alabama Highway 69, south of Gallion, Alabama. Built as the main residence and headquarters of a forced-labor farm worked by enslaved people, Waldwic is included in the Plantation Houses of the Alabama Canebrake and Their Associated Outbuildings Multiple Property Submission. The main house and plantation outbuildings were added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 22, 1994.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Frederick Clarke Withers</span> American architect

    Frederick Clarke Withers was an English architect in America, especially renowned for his Gothic Revival ecclesiastical designs. For portions of his professional career, he partnered with fellow immigrant Calvert Vaux; both worked in the office of Andrew Jackson Downing in Newburgh, New York, where they began their careers following Downing's accidental death. Withers greatly participated in the introduction of the High Victorian Gothic style to the United States.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard M. Upjohn</span> American architect

    Richard Michell Upjohn, FAIA, was an American architect, co-founder and president of the American Institute of Architects.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Grace Church (Providence, Rhode Island)</span> Historic church in Providence, Rhode Island

    Grace Church is an historic Episcopal church at 300 Westminster Street at Mathewson Street in downtown Providence, Rhode Island. It was built in 1845-46 and was designed by Richard Upjohn in the Gothic Revival style.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Orleans County Courthouse Historic District</span> Historic district in New York, United States

    The Orleans County Courthouse Historic District is one of two located in downtown Albion, New York, United States. Centered on Courthouse Square, it includes many significant buildings in the village, such as its post office and churches from seven different denominations, one of which is the tallest structure in the county. Many buildings are the work of local architect William V.N. Barlow, with contributions from Solon Spencer Beman and Andrew Jackson Warner. They run the range of architectural styles from the era in which the district developed, from Federal to Colonial Revival.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Paul's Episcopal Church (Brunswick, Maine)</span> Historic church in Maine, United States

    St. Paul's Episcopal Church is a historic church at 27 Pleasant Street in Brunswick, Maine. Built in 1845, it is a distinctive early example of a modest Carpenter Gothic design by Richard Upjohn, then already well known for his larger-scale Gothic churches. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The rector is Rev. Carolyn H. Eklund.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Luke's Episcopal Church (Katonah, New York)</span> Historic church in New York, United States

    St. Luke's Episcopal Church is a historic Episcopal church located on Bedford Road in Katonah, New York, United States. It is a Tudor Revival structure dating to the early 1920s, housing a congregation restarted in the early 20th century.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Thomas Episcopal Church (Amenia Union, New York)</span> Historic church in New York, United States

    St. Thomas' Episcopal Church is located on Leedsville Road in Amenia Union, New York, United States. It is a mid-19th century brick church designed by Richard Upjohn in the Gothic Revival architectural style, built for a congregation organized shortly before.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">St. John Chrysostom Church (Delafield, Wisconsin)</span> Historic church in Wisconsin, United States

    St. John Chrysostom Church, also known as the Episcopal Church of St. John Chrysostom and the Little Red Church on the Hill, is a wooden Episcopal church built in 1852 in Delafield, Waukesha County, Wisconsin. In 1972 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Church of the Good Shepherd-Episcopal (Blue Earth, Minnesota)</span> Historic church in Minnesota, United States

    Church of the Good Shepherd Episcopal, a notable example of Rural Gothic architecture located at Moore and 8th Streets in Blue Earth, Minnesota, is the oldest surviving church building in the community. As the congregation diminished in the 1970s regular worship services were eventually suspended; in 1981 its three remaining members donated the building to the Faribault County Historical Society. Since then the church has hosted seasonal ecumenical services, Christmas concerts, weddings, and funerals. It was added to the National Register in 1980.

    Robert Sands Schuyler, often written as R. S. Schuyler and occasionally as R. V. Schuyler, was a New York architect, designer, and religious leader who moved to Florida and joined political, religious, and civil organizations on Amelia Island. He served as Clerk of the City of Fernandina, chaired the Fernandina Library Association when it was established in 1891, and was a lay reader at the Santa Fe Lake, Florida, Episcopal congregation.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Boonton Historic District</span> United States historic place

    The Boonton Historic District is a 9-acre (3.6 ha) historic district along Main, Church, Birch, Cornelia, and Cedar Streets in the town of Boonton in Morris County, New Jersey. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 29, 1980, for its significance in architecture. The district has 22 contributing buildings, including the Boonton Public Library, which was previously listed individually on the NRHP.

    References

    1. The British denigration of Sir George Gilbert Scott's restorations at Ely Cathedral as "Carpenter's Gothic" are discussed in Phillip Lindley, "'Carpenter's Gothic' and Gothic Carpentry: Contrasting Attitudes to the Restoration of the Octagon and Removals of the Choir at Ely Cathedral". Architectural History30 (1987:83–112).
    2. What Style Is It?, Poppeliers, et al., National Trust for Historic Preservation
    3. 1 2 3 Lane, Jack C. (2012). "Florida's Carpenter Gothic Churches: Artistic Gems from a Victorian Past". The Florida Historical Quarterly. 91 (2): 248–270. JSTOR   43487497 via JSTOR.
    4. 1 2 Encyclopædia Britannica. "Carpenter Gothic". Britannica Academic.
    5. "Departments and Officials of Wapello County, Iowa". www.wapellocounty.org. Retrieved 2023-04-30.
    6. "Carpenter Gothic". History Colorado. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
    7. 1 2 3 4 Montgomery, Gladys (2011). Storybook Cottages: America's carpenter gothic style. Rizzoli. pp. Chapter 6. ISBN   9780847836192.
    8. Kyles, Shannon. "carpenter". www.ontarioarchitecture.com. Archived from the original on 21 August 2016. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
    9. "The Serious Side of Carpenter Gothic: Why Richard Upjohn Wanted to Build a Country Church in Maspeth - JuniperCivic.com". www.junipercivic.com. Archived from the original on 8 March 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
    10. Lauinger, John (12 December 2007). "St. Saviour Church for sale at $10M - NY Daily News". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
    11. Angelos, James (April 6, 2008). "For a Church Bathed in History, a Last-Minute Miracle". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 26 September 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2013.
    12. "Grant Wood" Archived 2011-10-31 at the Wayback Machine , Art Institute of Chicago. Retrieved December 14, 2008.
    13. Fineman, Mia (2005-06-08). "The Most Famous Farm Couple in the World". Slate. ISSN   1091-2339 . Retrieved 2023-04-30.
    14. "Steamboat Gothic by Frances Parkinson Keyes". www.fantasticfiction.com. Retrieved 2023-04-30.
    15. "Steamboat Gothic". pplans.com. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
    16. "Mississippi River, acreage, homes, farms, fishing, hunting, cabins, woods". Archived from the original on 2008-04-08. Retrieved 2007-11-06. See listing number 235, accessed 11-5-2007
    17. "Definition of STEAMBOAT GOTHIC". www.m-w.com. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
    18. "St. Luke's Episcopal Church of Blue Ridge, Georgia - Episcopal Missionary Church". www.stlukesblueridge.org. Archived from the original on 14 March 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
    19. "Category:Carpenter Gothic churches in Australia - Wikimedia Commons". commons.wikimedia.org. Archived from the original on 20 May 2015. Retrieved 9 May 2018.