1860 Greek Revival

[Don M]

I remember when you bought your current home. We thought the addition on the right was unusual. That wasn't that long ago was it? What made you decide to move so soon?

[Tujo (WavyGlass)]

Yes, I've only been here three years. There are a few of reasons for the move, one is we're moving to another town where we know a few more people. Another is that where we are the real estate market is pretty depressed, which is making it impossible to finance any improvements to the house, but the banks are very happy to lend me more money to purchase a more expensive house. The third reason is natural gas - I don't have it right now, I want to move where they do. I spent $4500 heating this house last winter, the house I'm moving to spent $1300 - and it's a bigger house. That alone almost pays for the difference in mortgage payments.

The current house has been added on to a couple of times. The boxed in front porch is at least the third porch that has been built (it sits on the foundation of a larger porch, which is not the original porch). I had to gut it out due to extensive water damage and bug infestation the summer after moving in. It's still sitting as just a shell, but now with a roof that doesn't leak.

[Tujo (WavyGlass)]

More pictures from the home inspection

[Neighmond]

Pretty!

[Gothichome]

The home looks very nice and has an understated grandness to it. the ceiling medallion, brass or bronzed cast iron. I've never sen one like that.

[nan-nan]

Hey neighbour,

We are within shouting distance. Beautiful home!! Enjoy making it your own.

[kelt65]

Hello everyone!
Is anyone familiar with homes of this style? It's not common in this area and I'm not really sure what is "normal" about it and what is "unusual" - or what is original and what has been changed. I guess I won't know a lot of that stuff until I have more time to poke around myself.

Wow - that is so "not exemplary" of Neo-Grec as it's known around here (New Orleans). All the Neo-Grec residences from 1840-1870 are temple like in appearance, overwhelmingly masculine, and very austere. I'm speaking of residences, here - not public buildings, those are always very grand. In any case I love them both. That house there is rather curvy and feminine in appearance. I rather love it.

Here's a "shotgun type" Neo-Grec in New Orleans (there are many of these)


And a grander home:


And one of the nicest Neo Grec public buildings in New Orleans, the Federal Courthouse; still in use, and in my opinion one of the most nicely done Greek Revivals anywhere. The pic doesn't do it justice, but considering it's Fifth Circuit, it doesn't matter because no justice transpires there anyway

[Tujo (WavyGlass)]

It certainly doesn't have those amazing grand columns, which are a rarity this far north. Those houses look amazing, but I would never want to own something with so flat a roof up here in the snow belt! There is only one grand old house in town that does have that style of columns. My house does have a Greek revival style door, front gable, six over six windows* and it does have columns, though only short ones around the balcony and the side porch (now enclosed). In short, I would describe it more as a Georgian house that was dressed up with a lot of greek revival styling in the front.

I did check the historical registry, which unfortunately has little information on the house. It describes it as a grand house, but a mishmash of styles with a Greek Revival front exposure and a Victorian Gothic rear. The house is listed as the "Mitges House". Gus Mitges, the long time owner of the house until his death 2009, was the local Member of Parliament (about equivalent to an American Congressman) from 1972 to 1993. Born in Greece, he emigrated to Canada at age 6. I'm not sure yet what year he bought the house. On his wikipedia page it says he was a real life member of the Order of the Pheonix, which apparently has little to do with defeating Voldemort and more to do with service to Greece.

*most of which were replaced two years ago by the PO with vinyl windows that are pretending to be 9 over 9s

[kelt65]

It certainly doesn't have those amazing grand columns, which are a rarity this far north. Those houses look amazing, but I would never want to own something with so flat a roof up here in the snow belt! There is only one grand old house in town that does have that style of columns. My house does have a Greek revival style door, front gable, six over six windows* and it does have columns, though only short ones around the balcony and the side porch (now enclosed). In short, I would describe it more as a Georgian house that was dressed up with a lot of greek revival styling in the front.

I did check the historical registry, which unfortunately has little information on the house. It describes it as a grand house, but a mishmash of styles with a Greek Revival front exposure and a Victorian Gothic rear. The house is listed as the "Mitges House". Gus Mitges, the long time owner of the house until his death 2009, was the local Member of Parliament (about equivalent to an American Congressman) from 1972 to 1993. Born in Greece, he emigrated to Canada at age 6. I'm not sure yet what year he bought the house. On his wikipedia page it says he was a real life member of the Order of the Pheonix, which apparently has little to do with defeating Voldemort and more to do with service to Greece.
*most of which were replaced two years ago by the PO with vinyl windows that are pretending to be 9 over 9s

This is interesting since those double columns on box brick piers look VERY turn of the century to me. I've never seen that on a mid 19th century house ever. Can anyone else comment? I suspect that was a turn of the century renovation. It may have had different columns and facade when it was built. But comparing Ontario and New Orleans - may as well be apples and oranges. FYI, though, those aren't flat roofs, the roofs just aren't visible from the street level. They're gabled, and most certainly originally, slate. On the courthouse, it's also gabled, just that there is a "wall" higher than the gable so that it looks flat from the street. The run off still goes through the gutters like any other gabled roof.

[Tujo (WavyGlass)]

That is certainly a possibility. The house was extensively renovated inside at some point. The wall (or half wall) between the front and back parlours was removed, the doorways from the entry hall to the to the two rooms on either side were replaced with large square arches, one of which has floor to ceiling columns:



the stairway was opened up.





The dining room was expanded to include what I assume was originally the pantry:




it almost has a craftsman look about it.