When Courtney and Karen Coke bought their 1890s Queen Anne in Oak Park, they knew the house needed some renovating, starting with its lopsided enclosed front porch.
The Cokes decided to replace the awkward addition with a wrap-around veranda. But because the Cokes had no photos or architectural drawings of the house’s original design, “we agonized over what to do for the new railings and columns,” said Karen Coke. They finally looked to the interior stairway banister, which is original to the house, to inspire the details of their new porch.
The Cokes began to believe they were on the right track when clues–including fretwork shadows left on long-covered clapboard siding–began to surface during the porch’s demolition in 2004.
“It was as if the house spoke to us, and we listened,” Courtney Coke said.
Not long after the project was completed, an old photo of the Cokes’ house was found by staff members at The Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest. As it turns out, the look of the new porch wasn’t far off the original mark. The porch is larger than the original, but the railings and columns turned out to be nearly identical, the Cokes said.
Old-house architectural mysteries don’t always reveal themselves easily. But by applying a little elementary logic, even a first-time homeowner can usually figure out why a doorway was moved or when a porch was enclosed, experts say.
The payoff can be information to restore a house to its former glory.
“Usually people make changes to their house for reasons of fashion and function,” said Susan Benjamin, of Benjamin Historic Certifications in Highland Park, which prepares historic building nominations for landmark recognition. “Porches are enclosed because people want more living space.”
“Over time the use of a building changes,” said Linda Grubb, a Barrington architect and consultant for museums housed in historic structures. “A house built before 1880 may not have had an indoor bathroom, so changes were made to accommodate one. Most changes can be understood by using logic. You just have to trace back and then think it through.”
Paper trail
Experts say that when researching a house’s design history, it is worth a trip to the local historical society. A lucky few homeowners will find photographs, survey copies or architectural drawings–the best ways to determine how a house changed over the years. (Neighbors, especially those who are longtime residents, also can be a gold mine of information about what changes your house has been through over the years.)
But in the absence of photos or blueprints, homeowners usually resort to poring over old deeds and telephone directories, said Mark VanKerkhoff, a director for the Kane County Development Department and head of its historic preservation program. “That can be helpful, but it’s also time-consuming,” he said.
Grubb recommended researching fire insurance maps. The maps, which date from the beginning of the late 19th Century, show building footprints and list building materials. Chicago fire maps can be found at Chicago Historical Society and University of Illinois at Chicago.
VanKerkhoff also suggested checking out property information at the county recorder of deeds office. New mortgages usually indicate new homeowners and can help date a remodeling period; a second mortgage could be a source of a remodeling job’s financing, he said.
Architectural clues
You also can play detective at home. Get reacquainted with your house by first seeing how it fits into the streetscape, and compare its style to neighboring properties, VanKerkhoff said. “There are things you can do at home by simply adopting a sleuthing attitude and taking a fresh look at your house,” he said.
Perhaps there are similar or nearly identical houses by the same builder, a convenient gauge for what is original or added on to your house, he said.
Studying the house’s exterior and noting its architectural features–such as overall shape, roofline and decorative touches–can help determine its original style and period, VanKerkhoff said. Knowing whether a house is a Shingle-style mansion (1874-1910) or Chicago-style bungalow (1910-1940) will help date it and any subsequent changes, experts say. Architectural style guides are available on the Internet, in bookstores and at libraries.
Also, examine the house’s foundation, siding and trim materials, VanKerkhoff said. Look for changes, for example from a brick to concrete block or poured-concrete foundation, or from brick walls to aluminum siding, which usually indicates additions, he said.
Window style is another clue to dating an improvement but not always a reliable one because windows are so often replaced, VanKerkhoff said. Six-over-six divided light windows date to the 1860s, he said, while picture windows–common since the 1950s–can date back to 1880s Queen Anne-style houses.
When donning the Sherlock Holmes hat, it helps to remember that people’s attitudes don’t vary much from year to year, VanKerkhoff said.
“Just like now, styles and technologies change and people want to update their homes,” VanKerkhoff said. “Each old house is so unique you might never know exactly what it looked like. You have to use your imagination–think what you would do–to fill in the gaps in the story.”
It was VanKerkhoff’s curiosity that led him to solve a mystery that had vexed the previous owners of the historic farmhouse where he now lives near St. Charles.
For decades, the family had wondered what was behind a bump of plaster in the parlor. As children in the 1930s, they imagined the bump concealed treasure. It wasn’t until the early 1990s, when the house was empty and slated for demolition, that family members took a sledgehammer to the parlor plaster. What they found were cinders and soot in otherwise empty firebox.Mystery solved? Not quite. To VanKerkhoff and his wife, Amy, who bought the house in 1992 and saved it from the wrecking ball, a piece of the puzzle was missing. Why was a working parlor fireplace plastered over in the first place? they asked themselves.
Some basic detective work soon solved the riddle.
Peering up the chimney they found what turned out to be a 7-foot-tall honeycomb built by generations of stubborn bees. Earlier homeowners must have dealt with a messy and potentially dangerous situation by covering it up, they concluded. The fireplace was cleaned and restored along with the rest of the 1846 Federal, and although the bees were finally gone “the chimney continued to drip honey for a while,” Mark VanKerkhoff said.
For Courtney and Karen Coke, who share their home with daughters Nia, 6, and Naomi, 5, the discovery of a historical society photo showing their house’s original front porch solved other mysteries too. The master bathroom, for example, was originally a second-floor balcony, Karen Coke said.
And those original porch columns? They turned out to be in the basement all along, disguised as extra support posts.
“I was down in the basement doing laundry and saw an old column I never noticed before because it was painted gray and blended in with the rest of the basement. I thought to myself `Oh, that’s from the porch!'” she said, laughing. “That was after all the work was finished.”
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Finding clues
House historians Mark VanKerkhoff and Susan Benjamin offer these suggestions for unearthing clues to your house’s history:
Get to the bottom of things. In the basement, take note of foundation materials. If the ceiling is exposed, look to see if there is a change in subflooring or flooring material, which could indicate an addition or remodel. Pine planking was used until the mid-to late-1800s, when oak floors came into favor.
Let walls reveal their secrets. A difference in ceiling or floor height can indicate an addition. It also can be a clue that a room, such as a bathroom or kitchen, was added to existing space and retrofitted to hide plumbing, wiring, or heating or cooling ducts. Look at walls for a change in texture or for outlines indicating where a doorway or window might have been filled in. Determine whether the wall material is plaster or drywall, commonly used after World War II.
It’s in the details. Window and door hardware–commonly changed–often can be dated with the help of old catalogs or books on the subject. Peek inside closets or around the basement for original hardware.
Different trim styles also may be a clue to dating a remodeling job. Remember, however, it was common for people to use more elaborate trim and baseboards in the public rooms, such as the parlor and dining rooms, and simpler, less-expensive profiles in the kitchen and second-floor bedrooms.
Dig deep for clues. It was common for old house walls to be insulated with newspapers, which show dates, Benjamin said. Homeowners often inscribe names and dates into freshly poured concrete, and workers will sign and date construction framing. “People like to leave their mark on places,” Benjamin said.
“All these aspects are like pieces to the puzzle of dating a house,” she added, noting that even chipping away layers of paint can help pinpoint a redesign if you have an idea about what colors were stylish in particular eras.
–Laurie Grano
