Taken from Scientific American, Building Edition. April 1900

Photo of house

floor 1 plan

floor 2 plan

A GAMBREL-ROOFED HOUSE AT SPRINGFIELD, MASS.

The engraving presented on page 71, in this issue, illustrates a gambrel-roofed house which has been erected for Mr. Spellman, at Springfield, Mass.

The design is attractive and pleasing, and it has a combination of well arranged plans and good elevations. The underpinning and chimneys are built of red brick, laid up in red mortar. The exterior throughout is sheathed, papered, and then covered with shingles and left to weather finish a natural silvery gray color, while the trimmings are painted light gray.

Dimensions: Front, 32 ft.; side, 44 ft., not including piazza. Height of ceilings: Cellar, 7 ft.; first story, 9 ft. 6 in.; second, 9 ft.; third, 8 ft. 6 in.

The entrance is through a lobby, which is paneled in oak and provided with a tiled floor. The hall contains a pleasant nook with paneled seats, and it is separated from hall proper with a paneled base, from which rises columns to ceiling, supporting an archway with transoms. This hall is trimmed with quartered oak, and is fitted up with paneled wainscotings and ceiling beams. The fireplace is trimmed with tiled facings and hearth and a handsome hardwood mantel. The staircase is a broad, handsome one, recessed at side of hall, and provided with newels, balusters and rail. A bay window, glazed with leaded stained glass, is thrown out at the first landing. A lavatory is provided beneath stairway.

The parlor is trimmed with pine, and is treated in white and gold. It contains an open fireplace, with tiled facings and hearth and mantel of Colonial design. The dining-room is trimmed with oak, and it has a paneled wainscoting and a beamed ceiling, and also a bay window* thrown out at side. The kitchen and its dependencies are trimmed and wainscoted with hard pine and finished natural, and are furnished with the best modern fixtures complete.

The second floor contains four bedrooms, large closets, and bathroom ; the latter is wainscoted, and fitted up with porcelain fixtures and exposed plumbing. The third floor contains two bedrooms and ample storage space. A cemented cellar contains furnace, laundry, and other necessary apartments.

Our engraving was made direct from a photograph of the building taken specially for the SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN.

Note: This house is at 80 Sumner Avenue, at the corner of Fort Pleasant.