Victorian Gothic

Trinity Parish Chapel, Southport // 1872

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The Trinity Episcopal Church in the Southport section of Fairfield, Connecticut was established in 1725. As the parish and town grew, a large and architecturally stunning church was erected in 1862, and housed services for some of the wealthiest and well-connected residents of Connecticut. During Rev. Edward Wells’ rectorship, it was decided that a parish school was needed, and as an ardent believer in religious training, he started planning for a new chapel for use as a school. The Trinity Parish Chapel was designed by Southport architects Disbrow & Taylor and erected 1871-72. This Gothic Revival building is an excellent example of the rural church architecture which enjoyed widespread popularity throughout the country during the mid 19th century. Designed on a simple rectangular and decorative wooden bell cote, the small chapel’s board-and-batten siding and modest though strong Gothic details create a composition which compliments the more grand church just steps away. The chapel was originally built as a free-standing building, but was connected by a large, brick addition in the 20th century.

Dana King House // 1879

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Another stately Victorian-era house on Nashua’s Concord Street is this brick beauty, known as the Dana King House. The property was constructed in 1879 for Dana William King (1832-1912) who had quite a history. He was born in Alstead, New Hampshire where he lived until he was 19, moving to Boston to “make his fortune”. In 1852, he shipped aboard a whale boat in East Boston, and realized that whaling wasn’t for him. He was persuaded by his brother to move in with him in Detroit, where he worked as a grocery clerk before moving back to New Hampshire, settling in Nashua, where he did make his fortune. He began working at a local mill until the outbreak of the American Civil War, where he enlisted in the First Regiment of New Hampshire, eventually rising to the rank of Lt. Colonel. He was captured during the war and held in prison in Shreveport for over seven months, failing at least one prison escape. He was eventually included in a prisoner swap and returned to Nashua in 1865. Upon his return, King used his war stories to gather favor locally, and he was elected Register of the Hillsborough County of Deeds, a position he held for over 30 years. The King House is a great, and rare example of the Victorian Gothic style of architecture in Nashua, notable for its steeply pitched slate gable roof with octagonal corner tower serving as a belvedere or cupola.

Dr. Eugene F. McQuesten Residence // 1887

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Dr. Eugene Forrest McQuesten was born in Litchfield, NH, on October 11, 1843. He enrolled at local schools before graduating from theJefferson Medical College in 1866. He practiced medicine in Lynn, Massachusetts for two years before moving to Nashua, New Hampshire to run a medical office. He worked in Nashua for years, later being nominated President of the New Hampshire Medical Society. In 1886, he purchased a house lot on Nashua’s Concord Street and razed the existing dwelling, building this stunning brick residence a year later.

Sawyer Mansion // 1863 & 1914

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Originally built in the Carpenter Gothic style in 1863, the Sawyer-Gillett Mansion in Whitingham, Vermont, is the highest-style house in town today. Indistinguishable from its Civil War-era original construction, the house was greatly expanded and altered into an elaborate take on Queen Anne / Shingle styles in 1914. The house was originally constructed by John W. Sawyer, but it was his son, Lincoln H. Sawyer who renovated the house and etched his name “L.H. Sawyer” on the glass of the new front door. The updated house style reflects a nostalgic Victorian preference by the owner, who sawed all the trim and materials on site at the family sawmill. It was recently sold and is now a B&B!

Abraham Chase House // c.1860

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One of the cutest old houses in Whitingham Village in Vermont is the Abraham F. Chase House, just a stone’s throw from the country store and post office. Abraham Chase was a dealer in dry goods, groceries, boots, shoes, and hardware in this village, possibly from half of this building. The vernacular one-story clapboarded frame house has some Gothic details like the rear steep double gable wall dormer. I am actually a huge fan of the green doors and newer stone porch wall, they really make this cottage pop!

St. John the Evangelist Church // 1885

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One of the most bucolic and beautiful buildings I have ever seen is this church in the Catskills, just outside of Elka Park, NY. Wow I wish New England could claim this one! The St. John the Evangelist Chapel was developed as part of a smaller enclave of summer cottages for rusticators from the Philadelphia-area, which was largely established by Mr. Alexander Hemsley (1834-1904) a chemist from Philadelphia who would later die from anaccidental chemical explosion at his factory. In 1883, Hemsley sold cottage lots to friends and family to erect summer houses in the Catskills and in 1884, decided to develop a lot for an Episcopal summer chapel. In that same year, Hemsley hired his future son-in-law, William Halsey Wood, to design the chapel. The Stick-style Victorian chapel blends the rustic use of natural materials found on the property with an elegant siting and attention to detail, not typically found in rural chapels. The native stone and stylized half-timbering really stood out to me. The church is used still in the summer with regular services on Sundays in July and August.

Sargentville Chapel // 1889

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The Sargentville Chapel in Sedgwick, Maine was built in 1889 to provide a more convenient site for services, meetings and other community activities for residents of the Sargentville Village in town, a distance from Sedgwick’s main village. A building committee was established with the goal to erect a new chapel, and A.J. Long, a lumber manufacturer and builder submitted the lowest bid of $1,100 to “put up the building, finish the outside, and put on one coat of paint”. The offer was accepted and the first meeting in the chapel took place in January. 1890. The small chapel has been an active community space for members of the Sargentville section of Sedgwick since the late 19th century and the group continues to maintain the Victorian Gothic building extremely well to this day.

United Church of Christ, Waterbury // 1824

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As soon as settlers arrived in Waterbury, they began worshipping their respective religions, largely out of private homes. The town’s meeting house was occupied by some congregations, but there was no real union church for the many growing congregations. This edifice was originally erected in 1824 as a united Congregational church by local builders, the Carpenter Brothers (how perfect is that?) The church was modernized in about 1860 with Gothic Revival detailing, which included the raising of its foundation, bargeboard, spires, and a new steeple. It was updated later in 1880 with a new chapel and ten years later, with stained glass windows. It remains today as an active church and is in a great state of preservation.

Robert Henry Peckham House // 1872

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Another of Noank’s stunning Victorian-era seaside cottages is the 1872 Robert Henry Peckham house which is located across the street from the village’s most ornate cottage, the Deacon Robert Palmer House (featured previously). The house exhibits a gambrel roof which reads as a mansard roof at the side elevations. A round arched window is set into the gable end. Decorative cut bargeboards add much complexity to the design. It appears that in the early 20th century, as Noank was re-establishing itself as an artist colony, the owners added the small wrap-around porch and stone garden wall.

Former Noank Methodist Church // 1902

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Adaptive reuse of old buildings always makes me so happy to see! Besides the obvious benefit of preserving an old building which contributes to the history and character of an area, there are clear environmental benefits to renovating older buildings for new uses when older uses are no longer viable. In 1902, the village of Noank was bustling with workers in the shipyards, many of whom attended or hoped to attend religious services close to home rather than travelling to adjacent towns. As a result, the local Methodist church-goers had this building constructed. Architecturally, the building is a hodge-podge of styles with interesting lancet windows as a nod to the Gothic style, shingle and clapboard siding which reads Queen Anne. The Noank Methodist Church merged with the Groton Methodist Church to form Christ United Methodist Church, which moved to a new building in 1972. The former church was converted into a residence. Preservation wins!