Walter,
Didn’t want to clutter up your thread any more than I had, so here goes.
This is the flashing I was asking about. The nails are set about halfway up the vertical face of the flashing.
Better shot of the house across the street that’s part of Dumbarton Oaks> Nice copper dormers on the front and side, along with some frieze work on the stucco of the middle dormer here. (I’ll have to go back for a closeup)
And another shot of the modernist house across the street from the copper dormer-ed house
Replies
Grant,
This house is at the end of the block from the ones above and had a neat copper top to this bump-out. Curved on all three sides. What I didn't notice until walking back past it was that the white and maroon trim is all painted on the brick.
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Another part of Dumbarton Oaks that's cattycorner from the house above.
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Garden gate into a private part of Dumbarton Oaks.
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Man, I LOVE that trim painted on the brick - never seen that!
Forrest
Me, too!I can't believe I didn't notice it at first. I'll go back and take some more of that house, because it had some neat details like that.'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Chuck,
I knew you had said your house was at the corner of 31st and R, but I wasn't sure if I'd find the right one. This one seemed a likely candidate so I started shooting.
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Close up of the porch
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Part of the front facade
View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Front door, which looks darn heavy
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I wandered around to the side and then I knew I had found the right place. Look familiar?
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Side entry roof
View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Across the street from Chuck's house we have a sort of fairytale gingerbread motif
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Close up of the bracket detail
View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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2 doors down from the gingerbread house, there's this turreted townhouse on the corner, directly across from the gardens at Dumbarton Oaks. I'll need to get some more shots of the front side around the bend. Realized as I was walking back that it's got this wave effect, maybe art deco-y that you can't see from this side of the street.
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Close up of the roof detail
View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Further down the street from the above homes, and still across from the grounds at Dumbarton Oaks is what looks like a former school. Might be serving as an arts center, but it's in not so great shape.
Still it had some interesting elements.
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Detail close up
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Neat building another block down, and still across from the grounds.
View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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I didn't make it inside the grounds today. My photo card was full, and well, there was an $8 charge to get in. Next week I'll try again. I know they have some neat architectural benches in there.
Maybe if I wear my pink shirt I'll get a discount?
Two more buildings. One a new shot of a building shown previously.
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And I'm not sure if this is a chapel in there or not. But a neat cupola to be sure. And a chimney cap that looks like a Conestoga wagon top.
View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Steve ,
You just blew my doors off with that architectural tour !!
Thanks very much for taking the time to shoot them and embed them all.
I see enough work there for a couple years for me !
Very impressive turn of the century tour !!
Best regards , Walter
Walter,It was my pleasure. And I'll add to the thread as I can. It's a nice time of year to be out on my bike, so I'll pack the camera and shoot some more.I did tell you that it's the Land O'Slate in that neighborhood! If you ever want to take a trip down, just let me know.Waiting to hear that Chuck did that porch. Some lovely scrollwork in there.Say, you're the architecture student. What's the official style for that gingerbread house? Some sort of Romantic Revival?Best,
Steve'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
Edited 4/16/2009 6:05 pm ET by FatRoman
Steve , I'm no whiz on architecture types but I'd call it a Queen Anne / stick style hybrid - but whatta I know I'm just a slate roofer.
Probably need to be licensed to work there ??!!
Walter
Well, you were Mr. I'm Sure It's Italianate in the other thread, so you get to make the declarations as far as I'm concerned. LOLDon't know a thing about the licensing. But I'd be happy to ask if you'd like. As Chuck just alluded to, I'm certain that any design would have to pass by the gaze of the POLOTARBs (Persnickety Old Ladies On The Architectural Review Board)'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Steve ,
Naw I'm a pushover , it can be Gothic if people want.
Repairs wouldn't typically need to have approval -- but when there done picking their chins off the floor after viewing the kick a** site you'll be making me they'll be ready to sign I'm sure !!!
Best , Walter
Very nice area - thanks for the tour!
Looks like the double-turret place is for sale - any idea what they are asking?
Between your tour, Walter's roof, and Mongo nook beds, i'm pretty much in ecstasy the last couple days. Thanks for making the effort to do that. Your double-turret house reminded me of this one i passed in Providence:
Delighted to do so. Thanks for checking in.Hmmm, your photo reminds me of a house, but I can't put my finger on it. If I see it's cousin here I'll be sure to include it.'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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That's a very cool neighborhood.
In a couple of weeks, other runner's will be stopping to photo your digs and post the pix on their forums.http://www.quittintime.com/ View Image
It is a fun area, to be sure.
And, yes, I'm going to have to shoo away the gawkers after you are through here.
On that note, we are going to move across the river to Alexandria. I'll get to the historic part in Old Town soon enough, but I shot a bunch of photos on my walk to the wine store today. So we'll have a little show and tell from my neighborhood, Del Ray.
My house. We've got the only gas lamp left in this area and I plan on keeping it. Makes a nice landmark to direct visitors to. Yes, the lawn needs to be mowed. (actually it was after this was taken)
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A new home about a block and a half from me. You'll find the occasional, recently built home, but much of Del Ray is from the 1920s and 30s. Plenty of older bungalow and four square style homes still exist here. It's experienced a renaissance in the last 10 years and become a popular place to live, in part because the main street has a vibrant shopping area.
View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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You should put a gas mantle on that gas lamp. It will burn brighter and use less gas. BTW the gas lamps on Boston's Beacon Hill are left on 24/7 because it is cheaper than having somebody go around to turn them on and off everyday.http://www.gas-lights.com/exMantles.htmlThis section is from the book "Mechanics Of The Household", by E. S. Keene. Also available from Amazon: Mechanics Of The Household.Mantle Gas LampsMantle lamps that are intended for using city gas are much the same in construction as those using the cold-process gasoline gas; the styles of mechanism differ somewhat with manufacturers but all lamps of this kind possess the essential features that are common to all. Either of these gases may be used with open-flame burners, such as Fig. 193, but since the introduction of mantle lamps, the open-flame burners are rarely used for household illumination.In the incandescent-mantle lamp, the light is produced by heating to incandescence a filmy mantle of highly refractory material. The higher the temperature to which the mantle of a lamp is raised,'the greater is the quantity of light produced. The office of the burner is to produce a uniform heat throughout the mantle with the use of the least amount of gas. As ordinarily furnished from the mains, coal gas or gasoline gas is too rich in carbon to be used in mantle lamps without dilution. When gas is burned in a mantle lamp, it must contain sufficient oxygen-which is supplied by the air - to combine completely with the contained carbon and reduce it to carbon dioxide. If insufficient air is supplied, the lamp will smoke and the mantle will soon be filled with soot.In the use of the various gases - made from coal, gasoline, kerosene, alcohol, etc. - as a fuel for the production of either heat or light, the form of the burner in which the gas is consumed is the most important factor of the system. Without burners in which to generate a satisfactory supply of heat for the desired purposes, mantle gas lamps would never have come into common use. An understanding of the mechanism of the burners of a system is of first importance because of the possibility of the failure of the entire plant through an improper adjustment of the lamps.If complete combustion of the gas is attained in the burner, the greatest amount of heat will be evolved and the residue will be an odorless gas, carbon dioxide (CO2). If the gas is not completely burned the odor of the gas is noticeable in the air. Incomplete combustion may be caused by an insufficient air supply, which causes a smoky flame; or if a larger flame is used than the burner is designed to carry, some of the gas will escape unburned. In either case the greatest amount of heat is not developed by the burner.In most burners, whether for heating or lighting - in which gas, gasoline or alcohol is used as a fuel - the principle of operation is that of the Bunsen tube. One noticeable exception to this rule is the burners used with the central-generating systems where the Bunsen tube is a part of the generator.The gas generated from any hydrocarbon will burn completely, only after being mixed with air or other incombustible gas, in proportions such as will completely oxidize the carbon contained in the fuel.In Fig. 190 the familiar laboratory Bunsen burner affords an excellent illustration of the Bunsen principle which forms a part of all burners using gas as a fuel. The gas from the supply pipe issues from a small opening A into a tube B and by the force of its velocity the entering gas carries into the tube above it a quantity of air that may be regulated by the size of the opening. If the gas is burned without being first mixed with air, the flame will be dull and smoky but if air is admitted to mix with the gas, an entirely different flame is produced, the characteristic shape of which is shown in the figure.The upper part of the flame C is known as the reducing flame; it is blue in color and intensely hot. The portion D is the oxidizing flame; it is pale blue, sometimes light green in color. The lower part E is the gas before it begins to burn. When burning in air, the Bunsen flame gives scarcely any light, all of the energy being expended in heat. In the gas stove where the burners are made up of a great number of small jets, it will be seen that each jet shows the characteristic features of the Bunsen flame.The incandescent-mantle gaslight takes advantage of the heat generated by the Bunsen flame and produces an incandescent light that has revolutionized gas lighting. The flame of the Bunsen tube is burned inside a mantle which is rendered incandescent by the heat.Fig. 190. - Cross-section of Bunsen burner showing characteristic Bunsen flame.The incandescent mantle was invented by Dr. Auer von Welsbach and was known for a long time as the Welsbach light; but improvements in the process of making the mantles, brought other lamps of the same type on the market, when it became known as the mantle lamp. The first serviceable mantles were made in 1891 and from that time there has been a steady development in the gas-lighting industry.The original mantles were made of knitted cotton yarn, impregnated with rare earths and are still so made; but the most durable mantles are now constructed from ramie or china grass. After being knitted, the mantles are impregnated with thorium nitrate, with the addition of a small quantity of cerium nitrate, and occasionally other nitrates. The mantles are then shaped and mounted; the fiber is burned out and the mantles are dipped in collodion to give them stability for transportation. When placed in the lamp for use, the collodion is first burned off and the remaining oxide of thorium forms the incandescent mantle. One style of mantle is now being made in which the fiber is not burned out until it is placed in the lamp. They are commonly used with gasoline lamps and give very good results. The first incandescent-mantle gas lamps to be' used were of the upright type, such as is shown in Fig. 191, and for a long time they were the only mantle lamps in use. While the upright mantle was a great improvement over the open-flame gas jet, the lamp was not satisfactory because of the shadows cast by the fixture and from the fact that a large amount of the light was lost by being directed upward from the incandescent mantle.With the development of the inverted type, the mantle lamp was greatly improved. In the use of lamps of any kind, the desired position of the illumination is that in which the light is directed downward. In the inverted type of mantle lamp this feature is accomplished and adds materially to the efficiency of the light, because the rays are sent in the direction of greatest service. The upright mantle lamps are still sold but by far the greater number offered for sale are of the inverted type.Fig. 191 - Gas lamp with upright mantle.The essential features of all gas lamps used under these conditions are shown in Fig. 192, which represents the common bracket type of lamp. The gas-cock C, connects the lamp with the gas supply G. The gas escapes into the Bunsen tube, through an opening in the tip P, which is so constructed that the amount of gas may be varied to suit the required conditions. The brass screw nut N may be raised or lowered and thus increase or diminish the amount of escaping gas by reason of the position of the pin P. If the nut is screwed completely down the pin closes the opening and the gas is entirely shut off. When the lamp is put in place, the burner is adjusted to admit the proper amount of gas and so long as the quality of the gas remains the same, no further adjustment will be necessary. Any change to a richer or poorer gas will, however, require an adjustment of the burner to suit the mantle. The amount of gas admitted is only that which will produce complete combustion in the mantle when combined with the required amount of air. Each burner must, therefore, be designed for the mantle in use.As the gas leaves the opening above the pin P, it enters the mixing chamber of the Bunsen tube and air is drawn at the openings A-A. The mixture of the gas and air is accomplished in the tube leading to the mantle M, where it is burned. In all lamps of this kind, there is a wire screen placed relatively as S, the object of which is to prevent the mixture in the tube from exploding - in case of low pressure - and thus cause the gas to ignite and burn at the point of entrance to the tube.At any time the pressure is insufficient to send a steady flow of gas into the tube, the flame may "flash back" and ignite the gas at the point of entrance where it will continue to burn. If, however, the screen is interposed between the gas supply and the burner, the flame of explosion will not pass the screen.Fig. 192. - Mantle gas lamp showing details of Bunsen tube.In lighting the lamp, the gas is turned on and a lighted match is held under the mantle, the explosive mixture of gas and air fills the mantle and escapes into the globe, in which it is usually inclosed. As soon as ignition takes place the gas outside the mantle explodes with the effect that is startling but not necessarily dangerous. The escaping gas continues to burn and heats the mantle to incandescence.The amount of escaping gas is regulated by turning the gas-cock to produce the greatest brilliance with the least flame outside the mantle. When used for household illumination, the intensity of the light is such as to be objectionable, when used directly; but when surrounded by an opal glass globe to diffuse the light, this is a highly satisfactory and economical means of lighting.Continue to:prev: The Hollow-Wire System Of Gasoline Lighting And Heating
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next: Open-Flame Gas Burners
Thanks. I'll check those out. We leave ours on all the time. It's just a flat rate from the gas company. Brighter sounds better!'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Reminds me of a house at the corner of Nebraska and Utah Ave.You ever see Seminary Place at Forest Glen?http://www.operant.com/Seminary/buildings.html
Mike,
I'm almost certain that I've run past this seminary a couple of times. I have a friend in Silver Spring that I'll meet occasionally. The seminary is pretty close to the Forest Glen train station, yes? If you enter that neighborhood, is the seminary up to the left?
That's over by my favorite piece of graffiti, the Surrender Dorothy bridge.
Where did you grow up around here?
Best,
Steve'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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You can get to the Seminary from Georgia Ave go west on Seminary Rd, make slight right on Linden Ln, you will pass the army medical center on the left and the seminary is on the right.
I'm doin' the interior trim on the old chauffeur's cottage on Woodstock Court.
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I think I posted some pic's here a couple years ago when we were workin' on the pagoda.
I grew up in Falls Church. My wife used to have a Craftsman style house on Chapman Street off of Commonwealth Ave.
Edited 4/18/2009 9:49 am ET by MikeRooney
I'll look for the seminary next time I'm over there and try to dig up your pagoda thread.Any more info on the Chapman St house? I can take a photo and include it here.'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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This is what it looked like a few years ago.http://www.panoramio.com/photo/4380386The area is now bein' extensively developed - I didn't realize how much it has changed.I can't remember the Chapman St. address, but the street is only a couple blocks long.
I don't see it on the listings this morning. If memory serves it was 5.6 or 5.7 million.Thanks for going on tour with us!'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Perhaps my favorite house in this neighborhood. I don't run up this way, unfortunately. But I do get to see it on my drive home.
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Another shot so you can see that it's got a double turret.
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And a shot through the gates of Dumbarton Oaks toward part of the mansion there.
View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Another shot so you can see that it's got a double turret
Don't know why anyone would want a grain silo attached to their house, but to each their own (said the guy from the midwest).
jt8
"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It goes on."
-- Robert Frost
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If you want a peek at what's behind the gate.
http://www.oakhillcemeterydc.org/gallery.html
Thanks. Actually Oak Hill is a bit further down. I run past the back side of it that follows Rock Creek.That gate leads to a garden at Dumbarton Oaks right next to their Pre-Columbian art research center and museum.The chapel at Oak Hill is worth a gander. Might have to stroll in there for a photo, too.'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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You can get to the cemetery through the garden.Back in '67, we used to climb over that gate at night and wander around.
Mike,
We used to snag Shad in Rock Creek at the bottom of the hill of that cemetary.
Chuck S.live, work, build, ...better with wood
Teddy Roosevelt used to fish for trout on Rock Creek, but that was a little before my time.
Neat stuff. DC has some very cool buildings.If you run over the Calvert St. Bridge, I lived in the first house on the right. There was a great Greek restaurants across the street, Mama Yesha's(?). Had a Greek band that wandered around from table to table sampling everyone's fare. Stop in and have a stuffed grape leaf for me.http://www.tvwsolar.com
I went down to the lobby
To make a small call out.
A pretty dancing girl was there,
And she began to shout,
"Go on back to see the gypsy.
He can move you from the rear,
Drive you from your fear,
Bring you through the mirror.
He did it in Las Vegas,
And he can do it here."
You were allowed to leave Carolina? :)Was the Calvert St. bridge known for suicides then? It's pretty well fenced off at this point to discourage the jumpers.Were you in as far as Biltmore St? That area of Kalorama/Mt Pleasant has some very spacious townhomes. How long were you there?And I thought you were going with Blonde on Blonde or HWY 61 now?'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Calvert St Bridge was a nice spot for a j, never saw any body depressed there<G> I stayed in an old victorian townhouse, just up from Biltmore, fireplaces in every room.Mt. Pleasant had the only laundromat, which can be very entertaining after a j at the bridge, and a gorging at the Omega Restaurant. Is that still there? somewhere around the end of Biltmore? Cuban black beans and rice in copious amounts.http://www.tvwsolar.com
I went down to the lobby
To make a small call out.
A pretty dancing girl was there,
And she began to shout,
"Go on back to see the gypsy.
He can move you from the rear,
Drive you from your fear,
Bring you through the mirror.
He did it in Las Vegas,
And he can do it here."
I tried googlin' The Omega, and got a <G> bar at 21st and P where shirtless men drink for free wednesdays from 10-11p.m.I know they were still there in the mid 80's - we used to get carryout there and eat across the street in the park.
I must have been googling in a time warp... yesterday it was there, today, it has burned down... gotta watch that hot stuff<G>http://www.tvwsolar.com
Now I wish I could give Brother Bill his great thrill
I would set him in chains at the top of the hill
Then send out for some pillars and Cecil B. DeMille
He could die happily ever after"
Fireplaces in every room sounds about right for that neighborhood. I'll shoot some photos of that block and we'll see what's familiar.Cuban food sounds pretty good. I'll have to nose around and see if it's still there. That first stretch of Conn Ave off of Calvert has some good eats.You ever spend time at the Childe Harold in Dupont while you were here? Great spot for live music I've heard, but that was all before my time.'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Sounds like the Omega may be in Maryland now, too bad. Never went to Childe Harold, but I did get to see Roy Buchanan a few times in maybe The Silver Dollar in G-town. I did like living there, always something to do rather than work<G>
http://www.tvwsolar.com
Now I wish I could give Brother Bill his great thrill
I would set him in chains at the top of the hill
Then send out for some pillars and Cecil B. DeMille
He could die happily ever after"
always something to do rather than work<G>
Yeah, but if you lived there, you'd probably be a John Thompson fan...........
As funny as NC blue is, it beats the hell out of gray.http://www.quittintime.com/ View Image
I still remember sitting in the car in the Burger King parking lot after swim practice listening to Fred Brown throw the ball to the wrong team.Darn Dean Dome Dudes.'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Childe Harold was my favorite place when I lived in town. Had this oddly formal restaurant upstairs with dishes named for former musicians, hangers on, frequent visitors, etc. The best was a great sandwich of filet mignon and hollandaise served on an English muffin. Mmm, I miss that place.But, back in the 70s they had a stage on the first floor that had Springsteen stop in several times when he was starting out. Couple of others like that. Sounded like a fine place to hear some choice tunes.Now, about that j on the bridge. Can't say I did that, but I do recall walking back to Foggy Bottom from Chevy Chase one night after a few hours of reefer madness. Couldn't get back in my house. Girlfriend had my keys so I slept on a park bench for a few hours. Glad I didn't do that too often!'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Man, I just googled up the place I remembered as being Greek, it's still there, Mama Ayesha's, but it's not Greek... that danged bridge LOLhttp://www.tvwsolar.com
I went down to the lobby
To make a small call out.
A pretty dancing girl was there,
And she began to shout,
"Go on back to see the gypsy.
He can move you from the rear,
Drive you from your fear,
Bring you through the mirror.
He did it in Las Vegas,
And he can do it here."
So, what were you doing there in 67? Student? Hanging around the Exorcist Stairs? :)'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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I was 18 and 1A (aimless). One night, we snuck into the National Cathedral and played the organ.
Ah, I spent a lot of 18 and aimless time at the punk rock clubs in Gtown.Cathedral's a fun place. I saw a Dave Brubeck concert there one night. Haven't been in there for awhile now.'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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D.C. is my home town, and Spring is the best time to be here. I suffered the traffic to go down to the Tidal Basin last week, only to find that my camera battery was dead.This is another of my favorite places.
http://www.usna.usda.gov/
Mike ,
The Arboretum is great. We met Steve and his lovely bride at Col. Brooks Tavern, near CU, after a visit to the NA.
BTW: Remember the days when we could park in the front of the Smithsonian, all the museums, and the White House (for free)?
Chuck Slive, work, build, ...better with wood
Col. Brooks shuts down for a week every year at Christmas, and my friend Oscar goes in there and paints whatever needs paintin'.I met a CU professor there one night who told me he used to play in a band with Bert Parks.
Fat,
Nice tour.
Please continue.A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
Steve,
Yup , it was better looking with the I Phone .
From here I can see quite a few differences from the way I'd flash that chimney , but it probably keeps the water at bay.
Thanks again for all the effort.
Chucks work looks it will last at least another Century.
Best , Walter
Steve,
Glad you strated this thread. The DC Area is full of gems.
Thanks for the pics in .6 and .7. Looks like our work after 30 years is holding up. We did all of the scroll work I wonder how the owners got away with the storm windows? It took 2 years to get the rear porch through BHAR. We rebuilt the side porch as well.
That front door is 10/4 quatersawn white oak. We took it off the hinges to refinish. It was either 42" or 48" wide and had a "tavern" window. A very heavy door.
We repaired/replaced a bunch of scoll work in that area but none on the homes you featured.
IIRC Corcoran School of Art was on R St at one time near Avon. Just beyond Avon is/was Calvin Caffrirtz's home. Built a pool house pergola and reworked the kitchens. As you know the Cafritz family owns a little real estate beginning with Conneticut Ave.(Apartments) and Foxhall Road (Estates).
Thanks again. (this thread could become the next "On The Way"
Chuck S.live, work, build, ...better with wood
Chuck,Firstly, I have to tip my hat to you. The work I see on that house goes well beyond first rate!I only noticed the hinges on the door as I was cutting up the photos. Any idea on how old they are? Don't see stuff like that very often.Let's see. That school in the photo was the Jackson School and it must have been on the corner of Avon and R. Would that have been the Corcoran's at one time? There was a dingy sign leaning up against it that said something about an arts center, and it was in use, because a man passed me and went in through the gate. I'll have to do some digging on that.I walked just past Avon, so I may not have made it to the Cafritz estate. Not sure if he's still alive. But I see his wife mentioned in the social pages from time to time. At least I assumed it was his wife. (Buffy, I think)If you recall any of the other addresses, let me know. I'd be happy to stroll down that way.Congrats again on such nice work.Best,
Steve'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Steve- neat houses. I love the way older homes have all that detail.
Plainfield, NJ has a lot of homes like those you took pics of. About 100 years ago, Plainfield was a summer getaway for some millionaires living in NYC. They built "summer" homes that were bigger than most people currently have. And the architectural detail on the inside and outside is pretty cool.
There's Italianate, Tudor, Queen Anne... Pretty much all the different styles.
Glad you enjoyed it. I'm lucky to live so close to this area and Old Town Alexandria. Lots of 18th and 19th Century homes still around both areas.I'll have some photos of Old Town soon. Like the old haunts of George Washington and Robert E Lee.'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Ah thanks man, this thread made my day. Please get that other view of the Art Deco one. I couldn't get
the big picture of it. Seriously, this was a nice surprise.
Happy to hear that.Hope I didn't oversell the art deco effect. It is more brick painted blue, but it had a sort of cloud lift quality to it that reminded me of swooping chrome. I will be back there next week. Probably Tuesday. My running partner is racing the Boston Marathon on Monday, but he's crazy enough to be back out the next day.And if you or Mr. Mmoogie want to weigh in on the style of that gingerbread variety, I'd be pleased to be informed. I know you guys in upstate have some houses like that.Best,
Steve'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Steve,Thank you for the kind words.I imagine those hinges are original. When we were stripping and refinishing all of the first floor interior doors, the south parlor had pocket doors. The pair of doors had a unique scissors-like cantilever weight system that we lubricated. The doors slide with fingertip control. On the hidden edge of one of the doors was a stop block with a note. 'Installed by Charly & John Skates 1886'. We added a block 'Refinished by Charlie & John Stevenson 1979'. Old homes are great.Buffy is married to William Cafritz. Calvin's home is at the corner of R and 28th.Off of 34th St is Highland Place. Narrow street easy to miss. We worked on the house at the bend. Victorian with a curved front porch. We repaired the railing and some ballasters.At the corner of 27th St and Broad Branch is a house that looks like it belongs overlooking the Mediterranean.We also worked on 3 Houses on Logan Circle. Mostly replacing trim.Thanks for this thread.Chuck Slive, work, build, ...better with wood
Thanks Chuck,
I'll see what I can round up for photos on those, Normanstone, and Capitol Hill. The Broad Branch one sounds familiar. I can picture one like that up by the Chevy Chase club, maybe on Conn. Ave, but the next time I'm up in the park that far, I'll look for the one you mentioned.
On the same block as the house above we've got two recently renovated bungalows. The craftsman look really took off around here in the last 6 years or so. There are two stunning examples of that style in Beverly Hills that I'll get to soon.
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Sister of the above
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One more at the end of this block.
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Here's a cautionary tale. This is a guy who's been building his house since before we moved into the neighborhood. Had a write up on him in the paper on how he originally wanted to enclose the front porch. Some of his neighbors took offense, alleging that Del Ray was designed as a welcoming, open front porch sort of place. (which it is).
So, to spite them he built the biggest thing he could legally stick on the lot.
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The cautionary part is that everything he's touched has been done with as little planning and craft as possible. The roof is covered with white splotches, almost like he spackled some holes. In any case I use this place as my example of how I don't want to renovate.
View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Steve,
That tower is one of the ugliest features I've ever seen. Totally wrong proportion and scale I think .
Best ,
Walter
Walter,I'm glad to know it's not just me that thinks it's hideous. The good thing is that if it was built with the care that I've seen around the rest of the place, it won't be standing for too long.Best,
Steve'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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More homes on the stroll to the store
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I went in both of these (below) last spring on the home tour here. The one on the right is leaning quite a bit, but was mucho fun on the inside. Both have 2nd and 3rd floor porches/balconies
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Close up of the one 3rd floor balcony
View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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This is one some friends of ours nearly bought. Full on funky fresh paint job. Formerly it was purple and pink, now it's indigo-ish and lime green. Had some cool elements inside, like wainscoting in the library. And really odd elements like a bathroom that was open to the side porch on one end and the master bedroom on the other, almost like it used to be a hallway.
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I think this is a recent renovation. Not sure about the chimney though. Seems to be hanging in space, doesn't it?
View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Last ones before I have to run out to a party. More to come.
Local hardware store and town chocolatier
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Across the street, a great restaurant, the Evening Star and the wine shop next door. Sphere's twin brother was putting a ledger on the side of the restaurant when I went by
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One view of the main street
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Somebody besides me is a fan of the Murphys
View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Man, chocolate next to hardware?
What's down the street, bakery?A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
Why, yes, there is a bakery/coffee shop down the street.No Star Diner yet though. Maybe you want to franchise?Thanks for checking in.'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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I'll break this to you gently.
We've had a wardrobe change at the Star.A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
For better or worse !!!
For better or worse? Now that will take some further study.
Initially, I would say more starched.........more formal.A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
Uh oh, that doesn't sound promising.Unless you meant that the state of the economy now come for the shirts on the backs of the employees there.'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Are the streets paved with gold ?? Choclate and hardware - must be heaven !
The hardware is good in a pinch. You'll pay for the convenience of course.But the chocolate is like gold. We sampled some at Smithfest.'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Thank God theres more of us out there, I respect you a lot more now ;^) Now I know you have good taste.
Im diggin what your doing here, Im an arcitecture nerd myself, thanks, keep it up.
LOL well I think it was Dieselpig and Gunner that got me listening to those guys.You near Black Lake?More photos coming this week as long as it's sunny.'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Kind of Black lake is maybe a 1/2 hour from me. Never really worked or hung around there though.
Steve,
Thanks for posting Del Ray. Reminds me of Kensington or Forest Glenn.
Mike mentioned Seminary in post .43. Please ride/drive through the Walter Reed Annex just off Linden Lane and Seminary. Most impressive variety of architectural styles.
Chuck Slive, work, build, ...better with wood
Chuck,
Funny you mention that. My party last night was for a friend who's getting married at Walter Reed in two weeks. I'll take the camera and slip out for a few photos while I'm there.
Reminded me of your lattice work in Gtown
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Another craftsman restoration.
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I see this old Chevy from time to time here.
View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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This is one of the older homes here. Beautiful location and landscaping. I've seen photos of the inside before.
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View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Grant,
If you're looking for an extra client while here, you might offer to rearrange this mess. I assume it's some kind of fake slate. Not sure who didn't notice the pattern after it manifested itself on both roofs. I cringe everytime I run by it.
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Sister house to the one above. Lots of money went in. 7 or 8 bedrooms, 12 baths, wine cellars, etc. But they look a bit out of place with the rest of the neighborhood. They sit right next to the old stone and brick house in the post above.
View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Walter,
This is a house that I pass on my walk to my favorite coffee shop and bakery. Looks like they've got some of your red slate on there. Sorry for the poor angle on the roof shots.
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View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Calvin,
Have to make do with a shot of the library flower garden until I get back to Gtown next week and the gardens there.
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Interesting porch detail. I've been in this house on a home tour a few years back. Nicely done for the most part, has a restored garage in the back that would make a killer shop
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House I fell in love with and wanted to buy. Very well proportioned. I dig porches and this place has two, what could be better. Biggest problem was that it didn't have much of a yard, and what was there was out front. Would have felt like the Truman Show every time I wanted to picnic in the yard.
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I waited outside this one for a bit, sure that Mike Smith was going to pop out of his superhero changing booth at any moment. Alas, he must have gotten the zipper on his costume stuck.
View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Steve,
This is a special treat seeing all these wonderful homes in your baliwick !
Thanks so much for taking the time and trouble to arrange our tour !
Best , Walter
We had to get "certified" to install the product we used. The "class" mostly consisted of the "instructer" telling us repeatedly to mix the bundles and pallets and how to do it. If these guys were certified, I don't know how they could have missed that part.
edit: In fact, that house looks familiar. Maybe it was the "wrong" example in the video they showed.
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Edited 4/18/2009 10:02 am ET by seeyou
Could be. It's only 2 years old or so. Almost looks like it's a different color altogether rather than a product run variation.'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Steve,
Notice on the roof in your first picture that they have installed snow guards just over the doorway. Don't know if I've seen that before.
Walter
Walter,What a sharp eye you have! Can't say I've seen that before either. It's pretty useless given the paltry amount of snow we receive these days. But maybe in the past there was more buildup that they wanted to guard (sorry, bad pun) against.You're quite welcome for the tour. I've had a ball so far and hope I haven't bored anyone.Best,
Steve'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Steve ,
Not much of an eye - it jumped right out at me !
Just got back from our local Home Show . As I was leaving a gutter man had a display outside of some form of gutter guard in a short section of his machine formed gutter. The small roof section above it with water running down it was fake slate.
I said to him as I handed out a card to call me next year and I'd make him a section with the real stone - for no charge. He saw the slate logo and asked about a snow guard install in Portland for one of his clients . Already had one price for 34 grand asked if I was interested ! Bet you can figure out my answer !
He's going to send me some pictures and I'll be giving some links to threads here and some Shutterfly action.
Can't wait for a first class site to direct them to .
Have a great weekend .
Best regards , Walter
Walter,You've got the luck of the Irish riding with you these days it seems. Sounds like a fine opportunity to showcase your talents.Hope you land that contract!Best,
Steve'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Steve ,
Just a chance meeting. No talents required really -- just a snow retention job.
I'll still take pictures though !
Best regards , Walter
Walter,
Got sidetracked for a bit. But am ready to resume the tour!
Back to DC and the neighborhood in Georgetown. The next series of photos are all on the same street. The first two are particular favorites of mine. They're next door neighbors and bring to mind the notion of tiny jewel boxes.
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This one is across the street from the above two, and really isn't that noteworthy as a structure. But it does have a nice Greek Key relief.
View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Just up the street is this forlorn looking mansion. Don't know that anyone lives here presently, but boy it's got some neat details.
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I was drawn in by this iron work. Stuff like this makes me miss living in the city, where you'd be surrounded by work of this magnitude.
View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Somewhere in the Mighty Penobscot thread you mentioned the dangers of heat guns. Here's a cautionary tale. This historic library was being restored and someone kinda sorta melted something and maybe put a hot gun down and forgot about it, the end result being that it, shall we say, took off like a house on fire.
The library is a central point in Georgetown, and was still widely used by the community up to the point of the fire. I believe the lower floors were still open while the work was being performed upstairs. The fire unfortunately consumed a number of old maps and original city documents.
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View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Ruins of the Wolf House, which was built on London's property and burned about 2 weeks before they were to move in. The speculation was that it was spontaneous combustion from some linseed oil-soaked rags.
It was a massive place (9 fireplaces I believe), made from the area's volcanic rock and redwood timbers with the bark still in place. They believed that the construction would make it more resistant to fire. London also was interested in sourcing as much of his material from the local environs as possible.
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View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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95 years later and the flashing still looks pretty good!
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The place brought to mind the ruins in Rome, with an eerie empty shell feel to the area.
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The original house on the other side of the property, where the Londons lived and ran their ranch and winery. Seems that he turned from a focus on writing to farming as he aged, and was quite the Promethean thinker when it came to nurturing the land, animals, and environment. He became a big proponent for terraced farming, built the first grain silo of its kind on the West coast and even invented a device for spreading manure.
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One more view of his property.
View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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The town of Sonoma had a couple of interesting homes right on the main drag. I've got hi-res shots of these, but didn't want to post them for fear of the dial-uppers. So if there's detail here that you can't make out and would like to, let me know and I'll send you an appropriately sized version.
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View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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I'm thrilled to get not only an East coast tour , but a Left coast too !!!
Very nice selection of both DC and Sonoma buildings .
Thank you very much for taking the time to give us all a nice architectural selection.
Best regards , WAlter
Walter,
Really, it's my pleasure. I like taking photos of interesting architecture.
Since I just put the above shot up for Grant, here are some additional ones from my sojourn to Innsbruck a couple months ago for an international flair.
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Best,
Steve'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Here's a shot from Healdsburg's town square. Quite the copper pavilion. Reminds me of some lighthouses from the Chesapeake.
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There's also this roof from Innsbruck, Austria. Took it back in January and just digging through the photos.
Maybe I should have entered it in your Giant Chimney Cap thread? LOL (see the post below for a scale shot)
View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Yeah buddy, more than one of my jobs has been chasing after a painter or roofer set something afire. I ALWAYS worry myself to sleep at night after I been burning paint on a home. It never leaves you mind.
I meant to thank you for the thread sooner, but Malo/Sphere log ins got wonky..in one I saw all the pics, in the other, I had to start from the front again..LOL Makes my cadance and following along get confusing.
You should be getting a roof by now, no?Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
"If Brains was lard, you couldn't grease much of a pan"Jed Clampitt
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Not yet. The weather gods have been, so far, uncooperative. A steady diet of rain, drizzle and gray skies.Hopefully early this week I'll get started on a new thread showcasing the Copper Barron's work.Glad to hear you've been following along here!'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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I hope it clears up for ya, been nasty over here for days now.
hey, when the crew shows up..I wonder how long it'll be before Grant calls and says " Dammit Dale, quit pissing off the customers" LOL.
(private joke)Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
"If Brains was lard, you couldn't grease much of a pan"Jed Clampitt
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Last ones in DC for a moment. Some fun architectural details and a creepy, Stephen King-esque house. The house is pretty well hidden, so it's hard to see. But it's got just enough lived-in/run-down creepiness to it that it's not a far stretch to imagine the village axe murderer in residence there.
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View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Steve,That railing is splendid. On Truman Avenue in Key West a wrecker's house has similar balustrades. As the easment turns down it also arcs toward the street about a foot and then back to straight. I really studied that one.When shooting in the DC area can you please add the street names? It won't mean much to most but we who know the area would be interested. If you can post any shots of wrought iron front steps I would love to see them.Thanks for this thread.ChuckSlive, work, build, ...better with woodEdited 5/3/2009 11:42 am ET by stevent1
Edited 5/3/2009 11:54 am ET by stevent1
Chuck,It's funny. When I stopped to shoot that railing I had you in mind. Pleased to hear you liked it so much!I'll add the streets in on the future posts. All the ones I put up today from the jewel box houses to the Georgetown library are in the 3200 block of R St, in between Dumbarton Oaks and Wisconsin Ave.Wrought iron stairs...I'll keep an eye out for those. There are a couple of spots in Old Town that have them. Anything in particular that you'd like to see on that front?Best,
Steve'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Steve,Wrought iron stairs are an element that is not found in newer construction.Some are elaborate, some not so. IIRC many homes of a certain age have them.Thanks for the location info. I remember the library.Chuck Slive, work, build, ...better with wood
Only wrought iron stair I saw today. This was on 32nd in between Q and R. I know there are a bunch in Old Town and Capitol Hill, so I'll be keeping a watch for them.
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This garden was directly across the street from your house at 31st & R. It's the gingerbread motif one that I shot before. Now the trees have grown in and the garden was popping out as an urban oasis.
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View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Edited 5/6/2009 8:07 pm ET by FatRoman
Steve,
Thanks for the WI stairs. Those garden pics are great.
When working on Capitol Hill, I saw that a lot of the exterior trim was stamped tin at the fascia, soffit and frieze. Other exterior trim as well. Very pricey to replace/repair.
Hope DC gets some more sun soon.
Chuck Slive, work, build, ...better with wood
Chuck,Glad you enjoyed them. I know we have better examples around town.Not sure how that garden didn't catch my eye on the last go-round, but it sure looked nice today. Always fun to find things like that.I'll keep an eye out for metal trim, too.And, yes, I think Grant is doing his sun dance for me this week!Best,
Steve'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Do you know how I could link to this thread for a friend who doesn't
come to BT ? I know he'd enjoy it , but I can't copy and paste my way here.
Go to post 1 and options in the post box, lower left..choose email this.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
"If Brains was lard, you couldn't grease much of a pan"Jed Clampitt
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Thank you.
your a gentleman and scholar.
What Sphere suggested will work in terms of emailing the link to your friend. But I think he/she will still have to sign up to view it.By the way, I haven't forgotten about a different vantage point photo of that art-deco-y townhome for you. Hopefully this week.'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Steve, thanks for the tour, and thanks for the "Wolf House" pics
when you're cruisin the neighborhood...shoot 312 Rucker Place....that's my nephew
is it you sent me the "Border Trilogy " ?.... what great writingMike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Mike,Glad you enjoyed them. Wolf House would have been a heck of a place for a fest. I'll get over to Rucker Pl with the camera as soon as we get some nice weather here.Cormac McCarthy? That wasn't me, but I'm happy to hear you are enthralled with his writing. I'll add that to my list. I would have been more likely to recommend the Barrytown Trilogy by Roddy Doyle. Great sense of Irish life that comes through his books.By the way, the London book is fantastic. What an interesting individual. I'm really taken by his turn toward innovative farming.Best,
Steve'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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If you get a chance, read "Martin Eden", my favorite London book, not at all nordic. Did you read about his stint in the East End in London before he wrote
"The People of the Abyss"? Barbara Ehrenreich's "Nickel and Dimed" was a pale imitation...Oh, right...back to the tour...if you pass near any more Second Empire roofs, would you snap them? Love those mansards...
Edited 5/5/2009 11:53 pm by splintergroupie
I've got Martin Eden on the list. I got the impression from the biography that Eden was his best work, so I want to check that out. And yes, there was a good section on his time in the East End and the sheer horror of it all.Mansards? You got it. Had a bit of a rain delay here (no real sun for a week), but hope to get out to shoot again soon. I know we have some second empire homes in the historic section here, so I'll be sure to share those.Thanks for tuning in!'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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I lost my copy and got a hankering to read it again a while ago, then found the whole book online. God bless Al Gore.I've been tuned in from the start here. It's easy to make "big" imposing, but i delight in the jewel boxes even more.Keeping my heat gun on "safety"...
Here are a couple of roofs to whet your taste! Both on 31st St between R and Q.
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This one literally was hiding behind the foliage. Tough to get a whole shot. Sometimes I wonder if the owners think I'm odd as I'm crouching on the sidewalk trying to aim my camera at their house.
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View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Interesting how one architect puts angular dormers roofs over an arched entry, while the second reverses the motifs. The last shot was especially nice...looks about a hundred feet tall with the fence baluster finials boosting the illusion. If anyone asks, tell them you freelance for Arch. Digest, and did they see the article on the the McCain's Arizona spread? <G>
I'm going to keep that in mind. But in this neighborhood they'd probably be just as excited to talk about Gore.I'll definitely have some more Mansards from Old Town for you.'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Speaking of chimneys...i never figured out what the heck was going on here, but the organic flow intrigued me. This was in the Montmartre District in Paris:
Nicely whimsical!One more reason that's my favorite city in the world. I really need to move there for two years or so. Some sort of primal architectural and literary urge I suppose.'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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That view was right across from the last vineyard in the city, a little postage-stamp on a corner, all terraced, with some very, VERY old grape vines.
Wait a minute. I've already mentioned a weakness for architecture and books. Now you're going to tease me with wine?Remember if I pick up and move to Paris this weekend it's going to be difficult to shoot any Mansards here. Though I think they've got quite a bevy there to put on display.'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Somewhere in the vicinity of the Musee d'Orsay...
Moving down 31st St we come across these homes.
Thought this one had some fun effects with the brick trim
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Liked the entryway on this one
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View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Couple of different tile roofs, still on 31st.
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This one is a bit odd. Not sure if it's the colors or that I can't recall seeing one on a turret before.
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View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Two posts about these next two houses, at the corner of 31st and Q. Overview first and then the details.
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View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Detail time. I'd be pretty stoked to live in one of these.
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View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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How about this slate action, Walter?!
On Q st between 31 and 32 and directly across from Tudor Place, a giant home owned by Martha Washington's relatives. As a fellow Martha Washington relative, I'm curious why I have never been invited to dinner.
The whole row of these homes has these round windows with the limestone trim, though some are painted.
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Last one from today. No, you're not seeing things. This roof had such a low slope that for all intents and purposes the chimney is just hanging out there by itself. Weird.
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'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Steve ,
The highest form of craftsmanship displayed in those pictures !!
Unbelieveable attention to detail .
Best ,
Walter
Back across the river to Old Town Alexandria, VA, where we are steeped in history. The city was part of George Washington's original 1791 charter that formed Washington, DC, but it was retro-ceded to VA in 1846.
Washington himself frequented here often (Mt. Vernon is about 10 miles south of us, and he kept a townhome here as well). His church is in the center of town, he sent his crops to be sold at the city open air market, drank his fill at a tavern that's still here, and provided us with innumerable places to stick those funny 'George Washington did something here' plaques.
Aside from George and Martha, we've got Robert E Lee as a native son. Both his boyhood home and that of his father Light Horse Harry Lee's cousin are here. We've got a Masonic temple in honor of Washington that's been in the movies lately, but is best known around here for being the best hill for the rare winter sledding activity.
So with that little bit of background, away we go.
First stop Prince Street and a fine example of a shade porch. This area is mostly townhomes, so this is also a fairly rare example of a stand alone house.
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And a few decorative entry ways
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View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Still on Prince Street, a few examples of the townhome styles. Many similar elements from the homes in Georgetown
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Entryways of the homes above
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A few more at this end of Prince Street
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View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Walter,
Another set of smaller townhomes on Columbus St.
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Window detail
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Another stand alone home at the corner of Prince and Columbus. Many of the front windows still have divided lites on the edges.
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Can you make out the decorations on the ridges here? At first I thought the one on the high peak in the foreground was a lightning device, but then I realized that all of the ridges had something. Do you know what they are?
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Best,
Steve'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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One more on Prince Street just before we come to the intersection with Washington Street
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And a commemorative statue from the spot where the Confederate soldiers in Alexandria marched off after the Union army descended upon the city.
View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Chuck,
I didn't run across any WI stairs today. Some banisters on Prince St, and some decorative effects in front of windows, but no stairs.
I'm hoping you might know what this building is at the corner of South St. Asaph and Wolfe Streets. In my mind it's the grandest structure in town, and I believe it's a private residence. Beyond that I haven't a clue as to the heritage.
The corbels at the entry are enormous.
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Corner fence post
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Decorative iron work
View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Okay m'lady, hope this strikes your Second Empire fancy!
South St. Asaph is the nicest street in town. You quickly get the impression of stepping back a hundred years or more while strolling around here.
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View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Steve -
I've been following along and haven't chimed in much. This is fascinating - keep the pix coming.http://www.quittintime.com/ View Image
A few more doors, entryways and homes on South St. Asaph Street.
One of the nice things about this street, aside from the number of gas lamps still in existence, is that the residents here really dress their homes up for Halloween, Christmas, 4th of July, etc. Seems to be a fine amount of civic pride on display.
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These are really right next to each other; it's not a photoshop trick. Notice the hand painted address on the right entry.
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Not sure if this is tile or not. I mean, it's green. And it looks like it's dented on the right side here
View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Last ones for today. Still on South St. Asaph. Actually all of today's photos have been within 5 blocks from stem to stern. We'll explore some other neighborhoods in Old Town and the city center shortly.
This is next door to the house with the green roof above.
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A garden from the house next to the Second Empire house.
View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Not sure if this is tile or not. I mean, it's green. And it looks like it's dented on the right side here
It's metal tile. I'm in the process of duplicating some of that. There were several companies that made similar, but different versions of that. One company still makes it, but it doesn't match up with the other defunct brands. That's one of my projects for tomorrow - making some test pieces.http://www.quittintime.com/ View Image
Thanks Grant.I assume you make the reveal on that and it's not really two layers meticulously put in place?Glad to see you tuning in.And, for you or anyone else, if there's a detail in a photo that you'd like a close-up of, please ask. I'd be happy to make it happen.'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Thanks! I have friends who collect Eastlake antiques who'll appreciate the shots, too.
Steve,
I am familiar with that house at S.St Asaph and Wolfe. Never even stepped foot inside the fence. Thanx for this Olde Town tour.
In your post .147 I think these may be a pair of WI stair and carriage.
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Chuck Slive, work, build, ...better with wood
Chuck,My apologies. I saw that too after I had posted to you and figured I'd let the record reflect my error. All my active looking for a set and there they are.I promise some close-ups.Best,
Steve'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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<<I think these may be a pair of WI stair and carriage.>> I'm not familiar with that term, could you fill me in?
Old school I guess.
http://www.ask.com/web?q=Stair%20Carriage&l=dir&qsrc=2891&o=10616
Chuck Slive, work, build, ...better with wood
Great choice of subjects. Sure doesn't hurt being spring-time in DC, either, the finest time there. Keep 'em coming, Thanks.And , here I thought being related to a guy who invented a miniature car was cool... I'd never had guessed Martha Washington was Italian.http://www.tvwsolar.com
Now I wish I could give Brother Bill his great thrill
I would set him in chains at the top of the hill
Then send out for some pillars and Cecil B. DeMille
He could die happily ever after"
Ah yes. Thanks, my mind was stuck in neutral again.
Steve ,
Just heading out to load up some slate for the Penobby house and saw this .
Strictly decorative I think on the ridge decoration . Just plain cap would work , but impressing people was popular back in those days . Shops made that stuff to be shipped all over I'm sure .
That house has some roof issues judging by the black devil com[pound I see in lots of spots.
I bet theres a lot of Maine slate used in that area -- even the Smithsonian I believe.
Best , Walter
Thanks Walter,Yes, I was going to say it looked like that roof could use your touch!Thanks for the info. And I'll be sure to get some shots of the Smithsonian 'Castle' in this thread.Best,
Steve'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Steve ,
That tile would have had to be made especially for that turrett or it was built to an existing pattern that the tile was made for .
Very unique !!
Walter
Why would the owners think you're odd? Big blue is cool. A mixed bag to be sure, but all the tricks seem to work, especially the curves... okay, maybe not especially anything, it ALL just works... well for me, maybe not for Elvis.http://www.tvwsolar.com
Now I wish I could give Brother Bill his great thrill
I would set him in chains at the top of the hill
Then send out for some pillars and Cecil B. DeMille
He could die happily ever after"
You'd have to see me after running. Sweaty, covered in mud from the trail, etc. Let's just say I don't fit the neighborhood demographic at that moment! LOLYes, there is something attractive about the Big Blue isn't there.'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Take your time. I'm enjoying the show.
Break in the monsoon here so I got to wander around after my run.
Started out at the big, blue townhome. Think I oversold it as art deco-y. It definitely had a different look to it depending on how you approached the property. Hope you'll find the details interesting anyway!
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View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Well thanks for the follow through! Yes very nice details. I wonder if that is truly Deco? Perhaps one of our experts will chime in...
Not at all sure!From one perspective, when you came around the corner all you saw was this big prow of a curve. Which did strike me as Art Deco. But looking at it today from the opposite approach, not so much. Can't say I've seen another in DC that's like that. Plus it's massive; almost 3 townhomes stuck together.Let's hope one of the resident experts weighs in.'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Switching coasts for a second. Just got back from Sonoma Valley where the highlight was a trip to the old Jack London estate, now a state park. Read the biography you lent me on the way out and thought you'd like to see some photos from there.
First up is a dining table from London's collection. This is all from the house that his wife built on the property after his death. They had built a lovely house together, but it burned shortly before they were to move in, and it was never replaced. (Photos to come of that below)
Interesting arrangement of seats and double benches
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There's some inscribed work on the bench back, but it's a bit difficult to make out. Sort of runic in a sense. Didn't want to use a flash and help degrade the artifacts in the room.
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Pretty hefty fireplace
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Some nice moulding and scroll work
View Image'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Chuck,Was out for a run today, took a different trail as we had to get back early and wound up in Normanstone.Wow. I hadn't been back there for some time, and when you are running uphill, you've got plenty of time to look at the scenery.Walter could retire off a handful of slate jobs there.I'll be back out there with a camera shortly to share. Not sure when most of those homes were built, but what a lovely expression of American architectural talent.Best,
Steve'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Steve,
Years ago Jack Kent Cook lived on Normanstone and he commandeered/closed an alley with a stone and wrought iron gate that led to his carriage house. DC did not like that at all.
Tony Kornheiser had a heyday with that. 'The Squire vs. Hizzonor' and the like. This was before Marlena Cooke took a ride in Gtown as the hood ornament of a Jaguar.
Please don't forget Highland.
Chuck Slive, work, build, ...better with wood
Walter,
I am glad Steve started this thread. The DC area is a treasure trove of classic estates and homes.
Chuck Slive, work, build, ...better with wood