Jefferson County Historical Society submitted the following article:
[PHOTO: Four interesting examples of 19th-century architecture line the north side of Jefferson Street in Brookville. In 1900 at least three servants lived in these four homes. (Photographer Frederick E. Knapp, Courtesy Brookville Heritage Trust)]
Submitted by Carole Briggs
A JEFFERSON STREET CHRISTMAS
Scott writes in 1888, “Of the first buildings erected in Brookville,…the house built by Thomas Lucas and now owned by John J. Thompson on Jefferson street…and the Craig homestead on Jefferson street [#232], are all the old landmarks remaining.”
The Craig homestead remains and is owned and used for curatorial work and storage by the Jefferson County Historical Society. Amelia Clark, who lived there for many years, did extensive remodeling around the turn of the 20th century. The false-grained woodwork and mantels of that period remain.
Amelia’s home was an original building that had been remodeled, but most of the other homes on Jefferson Street were gradually replaced by excellent models of nineteenth-century American architecture, and it, of course, was heavily influenced by the English. During the reign of Queen Victoria, styles known as Queen Anne, Stick, and Shingle appeared. Towards the end of her reign American styles like Four-square, Arts and Crafts, and Craftsman styles became popular.
Queen Anne homes include glass panel doors, towers, and porches. Stick or Eastlake homes are characterized by wood framing, steep gables, and half-timbers. Shingle are similar to Stick but have wood shingle siding.
In 1980 the Brookville Civic Club gathered information about “heritage buildings” in Brookville. The house [#226] immediately east of Brady Craig House was built in 1859 by Jared Evans, who had the first store in town. Dr. Alexander P. Heichhold, C. M. Garrison, J. J. Young, Richard Arthurs, Frank Rankin, Anna McCracken, Bessie Haines, and Gerald Charles have all lived there.
The second house [#216] was built on land owned by Jared Evans in 1848. Its inhabitants included Bonnie Matson, Charles Heidrick, Mary Van Vliet, John VanVliet, Hetty Lydick, and Gertrude Matson Cantwell.
The third house to the east of Brady Craig House has a smaller porch and is typical of an earlier home. Probably built in 1866, L. A. Leathers once lived there, as did Robert Laurich, Leonard Stewart, Lydia Leathers, David Gourley, David Eason, Samuel Johns, and Ralph Winkworth.
Finally, the Kennedy family lives on the northwest corner of Pickering and Jefferson streets, a home built in 1867 by lumberman H. R. Fullerton, then the dwelling of John White, Lora Cook, Frank C. and Alexander Deemer, the Methodist Church, and Emery Strohm.
Three of these four homes had servants living on the third floor. It is fun to imagine Christmas entertaining in these homes, perhaps dances in the large third floors, and teas in the front parlors. And wouldn’t a Christmas tree have looked beautiful in the bay of #206?
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