HISTORIC URBANIZED CORE SURVEY
Plainfield Historic Preservation Commission
ADDRESS 621- 623 W. Lockport St. PIN/Property Index Number #06-03-09-403-021-0000 #06-03-09-403-039-0000 Historic Property Name(s) Common Name(s) Architectural Style Greek Revival Vernacular Building Type Side Hall Plan/Temple form Upright and Wing Italianate influence (entrance hood) Construction Date c. 1850 Architect/Builder Historic Use(s) Single Family Residential Present Use(s) Single Family Residential History (associated events, people, dates) See reverse side/Continuation Sheet. Description See reverse side/Continuation Sheet. Integrity/Major Physical changes from original construction Wall material. Shutters added. Windows not original. Window size appears to have been made shorter on the 1st story of the Upright and wider on the 2nd story of the Upright. Frieze windows changed to gable wall dormers on the Wing. Subsidiary Building(s)/Site Tall scalloped wood fence conceals rear of house/property. Huge warehouse to rear of house’s lot in poorly placed proximity to this Early Settlement Thematic house. “Peyla Electric Building in Rear” - sign at front lot. Small front setback. Asphalt driveway for modern industrial/warehouse building on west. Modern Vaughn Dance building nearby to east. Registration & Evaluation National Register of Historic Places: Currently Listed: ___yes X no If not currently listed, recommend: Individually ___yes X no; historic district X yes Contributing X or non-contributing Significance statement: See reverse side/Continuation Sheet.
no
Village of Plainfield designation: Currently Listed: ___yes X no If not currently listed, recommend: Historic Landmark X!!! yes no; Historic District X Contributing X or non-contributing
yes
no
Form prepared by: ArchiSearch Historic Preservation Consultants (Alice Novak) Date of Field Survey: 11.06.05 - 323
HISTORIC URBANIZED CORE SURVEY
Plainfield Historic Preservation Commission
ADDRESS 621- 623 W. Lockport St. PIN/Property Index Number #06-03-09-403-021-0000 #06-03-09-403-039-0000
History (associated events, people, dates) Assessor’s Subdivision. Appears on the 1893 Sanborn map, the earliest Sanborn for the Village. Shown as #502 - 502, with the 2 story Upright and 1.5 story wing. The house was set in very close proximity to the west lot line. The Upright had an entrance porch, as is extant. The wing had a full-elevation reentrant angle porch. Both sections of the building had one story rear wings. A large rectangular 2 story carriage barn was near the NE/rear lot corner on the east lot line, #503-1/2, which together with the two 1 story outbuildings, occupied much of the width of the rear lot. The property remained unchanged on the 1898 and 1912 Sanborn maps, but by the 1931 Sanborn, the carriage barn had been removed. Nearby, an unusually long rectangular 1 story garage had been constructed, adjacent to what appears to be the easternmost of the earlier outbuildings, which had been converted into a garage. The smaller west side outbuilding had been removed. This remained intact on the 1944 Sanborn map, with the address change to 623 being implemented. Description Random limestone foundation; synthetically sided walls (wide gauge white); asphalt shingle deteriorated gable roof. 2 and 1.5 stories; L-shaped facade; 6 facade bays; 3 elevation piles. Left Upright in Side Hall Plan form, made Temple form via deep cornice returns in a unique vernacular and stylistic pattern within the Village. Two 1/1 double-hung sash, then door in right/east bay. Gable hood with Italianate brackets over Upright entrance. Raised concrete stoop; iron open rail on either side. Two 1/1 double-hung sash on 2nd story. Plain cornice. Bulkhead door right/east elevation. Blind bay along staircase location, east side of Upright in typical Side Hall Plan form. Deeply recessed wing to east with three bays: paired 1/1, middle door with deep gable hood, and single 1/1. Upper story with frieze windows altered to gable wall dormers with single 1/1. Front/south of west wall blind. Mixed single 1/1 to rear. Low 1 story rear gable wing, historic as shown on Sanborn maps; shed extension off wing also appears to be historic. Rear of Upright also with deep cornice returns.
Significance statement: This is an OUTSTANDING residence, combining Greek Revival influence and an Upright and Wing vernacular house type. Additionally, the minor influence of the Italianate style is expressed through the Upright’s entrance hood with Italianate brackets. Of particular significance and completely unmatched in the Village is that the Upright form is a Side Hall Plan house, another vernacular form; with the application of Greek Revival influence, the Side Hall Plan/Upright section, becomes a Temple form, which is also unique, if not unmatched, in the Village. With the collective significance of the Greek Revival style in the Village, this building easily ranks among the top 5 significant houses within the Early Settlement Thematic and should be a top priority to protect with landmark status. Given the high significance of this house, it should be considered for landmarking despite the synthetic siding. VP, Comm, VG&Comm, AA; EST.