Reuel E. Smith House

Reuel E. Smith House
(2009)
Location 28 W. Lake St.
Skaneateles, New York
Coordinates 42°56′30.61″N 76°26′5.16″W / 42.9418361°N 76.4347667°W / 42.9418361; -76.4347667Coordinates: 42°56′30.61″N 76°26′5.16″W / 42.9418361°N 76.4347667°W / 42.9418361; -76.4347667
Built 1848-52
Architect Alexander Jackson Davis
Architectural style Gothic Revival
NRHP reference # 79001612[1]
Added to NRHP July 27, 1979

The Reuel E. Smith House, also known as The Cove or Cobweb Cottage[2], located at 28 West Lake Street in Skaneateles, New York, is a picturesque house designed by Alexander Jackson Davis. It was built during 1848–1852 and is a "good example of the Gothic Revival mode, which was a reaction against the stringencies of the Greek Revival style".[3] It is the only house designed by Davis in Onondaga County that has survived since the demolition of the Charles Sedgewick Cottage on James Street in Syracuse.[4]

The house was photographed by Historic American Buildings Survey photographer Jack Boucher in 1962. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

Historic American Buildings Survey photograph of the "East Front"

The home was built for Reuel Smith, partner in a New York City shipping firm. His son E. Reuel Smith inherited the estate. "E.R" , as he was called, was a prominent figure in the village having married into Skaneateles royalty, his wife being Elizabeth DeCost. Their son, DeCost Smith, noted painter of the American West, was born here. Reuel's grandson, Sedgwick married Elsa Watts Smith, who in 1975 sold to Robert & Shirley Feldmann. The Feldmanns sold the property in April 2017.[5][6] The current owners of the home are Justin and Dr. Rebecca West Reeves.[7]

Alexander Jackson Davis

Named by The Metropolitan Museum of Art as one of America's most notable architects. A. J. Davis' career pinnacle in the 1840s to 1850's was during the design of this home. A. J. Davis is admired as the preeminent designer of "country" homes. His approach to Gothic Revival was something prominent Americans sought out and cherished, from Samuel F. B. Morse and Jay Gould, to successful merchants like Reuel Smith. While others of his era were building box houses, Alexander Jackson Davis pushed boundaries. His homes incorporated peaks, extensions in many directions, unique windows, and verandas, all of which can be found here. His unique decorative style has adorned landscapes across the Northeast and the Hudson River Valley. Although many A. J. Davis homes have been demolished, the shoreline of Skaneateles Lake continues to be graced by this jewel from "America's Picturesque Architect."

See also

References

Notes
  1. ↑ National Park Service (2007-01-23). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  2. ↑ Monfiletto, Jonathan. "FEATURED HISTORY 'Time to let go': Feldmann family selling historic Cobweb Cottage on Skaneateles Lake shore". AuburnPub. Lee Publications, Inc. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
  3. ↑ Hardin, Evamaria (May 1979). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: The Reuel E. Smith House / The Cove". Retrieved 2009-08-08. and Accompanying six photos, exterior and interior, from 1979
  4. ↑ Barker, Jack, Jr. (July 1, 1983). "Reuel Smith House" (PDF). Historic American Buildings Survey. Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 20, 2012. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  5. ↑ Monfiletto, Jonathan. "FEATURED HISTORY 'Time to let go': Feldmann family selling historic Cobweb Cottage on Skaneateles Lake shore". AuburnPub. Lee Publications, Inc. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
  6. ↑ "28 W Lake St, Skaneateles, NY 13152". Zillow. Zillow. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
  7. ↑ "Syracuse Post Standard". Advance Media New York. Post-Standard. 23 April 2017. p. 69. Retrieved 28 July 2018.



This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.