Savannah Victorian Historic District, 313 East Bolton Street (House), Savannah

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS GA,26-SAV,53K-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

This simple, one-story, central-hall cottage was built in the in the Victorian District by a prominent local carpenter for rental property. It incorporates the sawn wood ornament of the period, but did not have many of the mechanical conveniences being introduced into houses at the time. This would not be unusual as rental property was much in demand at very modest prices, and this house was built to meet that demand. PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Physical History: 1. Date of erection: The house was first taxed in thus was built in This date is substantiated by the new improve- ment Book of 2. Architect: Not known. 3. Original owner: John Joseph McMahon. The property is on lot 21, White Ward. 4. Builder: John Joseph McMahon was a native of County Clare, Ireland.

He was in the contracting business in Savannah for many years, and before he died at age 86, he was also involved in a second-hand furn- iture business. He is described in his obituary in the Savannah Morning Ney/s as a "Venerable Irish-American citizen with flowing white beard" who had come to be a fixture in the Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade. When he died in he was the oldest living member of the Irish Jasper Greens, military company in Savannah. 5. Alterations and additions: The Sanborn maps of and do not show a rear porch, indicating that it was a later addition. A lean- to stoop has been added to the rear. For background information, see Savannah Victorian Historic District, HABS No. GA-1169. 313 EAST BOLTON STREET HABS No. GA-1169K (Page 2) B.

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS GA,26-SAV,53K-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Savannah Morning News, 20 May Georgia Historical Society Micro- film. Tax Digests, Savannah, Georgia. Located at Georgia Histor- ical Society. New Improvement Books, Georgia Historical Society. Deed Records, Chatham County Courthouse, Books 0 94, 4 V 4 Y 7 V Insurance Maps of Savannah., Sanborn Map Company, New York. Prepared by: Beth Lattimore Reiter Project Historian Historic American Buildings Survey August, PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION A. General Statement: 1. Architectural character: The house at 313 East Bolton Street is a central-hall plan cottage, two rooms deep, ornamented with bold swan scrollwork. 2. Condition and fabric: Fair. B. Description of Exterior: 1. Over-all dimensions: The one-story structure measures 31" across its five-bay front by 2.

Foundations: Raised brick pier foundation. Chimney foundations have open fireboxes, presumably to clean out ashes from above. 3. Wall construction, finish: Clapboard siding painted white with green trim. 4. Structural system: Wood frame. 5. Porches, stoops: A one-story wooden porch, extends across the north (front) elevation, and is approached from the west by a metal stair. The porch rests on a brick foundation. The porch roof is supported by four chamfered square posts with pedestal bases. Two pilasters are built against the facade, one at either end of the porch. The bays between the posts are filled with decorative sawn scrollwork and fan brackets. 6. Chimneys: Two stuccoed brick chimneys with metal caps are located at the rear of the gable roof.

A brick chimney is located in the southeast corner of the long room across the back of the house. 313 EAST BOLTON STREET HABS No. GA-1169K (Page 3] 7. Openings: a. Doorways, doors: The center front door is framed by plain surrounds and a rectangular transom. The door has a wooden frame with glass on the top half and five raised panels arranged in tiers below-,,Tne ^ea^ door is framed by a rectangular transom and two side!ights. b. Windows and shutters: The front elevation windows are floor length, with four-over-six-light double-hung sash allowing access to the porch. Floor-length louvered shutters cover the windows. The remaining windows are six-over-six-light double-hung sash surrounded by plain trim.

The rectangular opening in the east gable is louvered; the rectangular opening in the west gable has a batten shutter that is kept closed. 8. Roof: a. Shape, covering: Standing seam tin on the gable roof. b. Cornice, eaves: The front porch has a deep cornice supported by small brackets. A built-in gutter system on the porch is fitted with metal downspouts. C. Description of Interior: 1. Floor plan: Central hall plan, two rooms deep. A long room extending across the rear is divided into a kitchen and bath. 2. Stairs: None. 3. Flooring: Hardwood, covered with vinyl. 4. Wall and ceiling finish: Narrow beaded tongue-and-groove paneling throughout the house, including the ceilings. A chair rail artic- ulates the wall surface of the central hall. 5.

Doorways, doors: Wooden four-panel doors throughout. 6. Decorative features and trim: The mantels in the north rooms are wooden with rectangular openings. A plain wooden frieze and simple pilasters support a simple rectangular mantel shelf. The southern rooms have the same plain mantels but have tile in the hearth. 7. Mechanical equipment: a. Heating: The house was originally heated by firplaces. Heating ducts have subsequently been installed. b. Lighting: No evidence of the original system. Currently electric. c. Plumbing: No evidence of the original system. 313 EAST BOLTON STREET HAES No. GA-1169 (.Page 4] D. Site: General setting and orientation: The house faces north, and is built on the lot line. It is situated on the north half of the lot with a large yard to the rear. 2.

Outbuildings: Originally there was a structure on the lane but it no longer stands. Prepared by: Beth Lattimore Reiter Project Historian Historic American Buildings Survey August, PART III. PROJECT INFORMATION This project was undertaken by the Historic American Buildings Survey in cooper- ation with the City of Savannah, the Historic Preservation Section of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the Savannah Landmark Rehabilitation Project, Inc., and Historic Savannah Foundation. The recording project was completed dur- ing the summer of under the general direction of John Poppeliers, Chief of HABS; Kenneth L.

Anderson, Principal Architect; Eric Oelony, Project Coordinator, Savannah Landmark Rehabilitation Project, Inc.; Beth Lattimore Reiter, Project Historian, Savannah Landmark Rehabilitation Project, Inc.; and Susan Dornbusch, Project Supervisor, University of Virginia; with student architects Gregori Ander- son (Howard University), David Fixler (Columbia University), Stephen Lauf (Temple University), and Tamara Peacock (University of Florida), at the HABS Office in Savannah, Georgia. The drawings were edited in the Washington office in September by architects Susan Dornbusch and Gregori Anderson. The historical and archi- tectural data was reviewed and edited during October-November by staff histo- rian Jan Cigliano.

Photographs were taken in September by Walter Smalling, a staff photographer with the Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service. The doc- umentation on the historic district will be used in the rehabilitation of the resi- dences and in developing design guidelines for the area.