Taylor House & Store, Main & Williams Streets, Old Washington

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS KY,81-WASH,9-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Distinguished by its three handsome doorways, this brick Federal building was built as a combination house and store and was occupied for many years by one of the area's most historic families. The two-story structure's U-shaped plan is noteworthy, and the elliptical fanlights above the doors add touches of grace and refinement to the simple and straightforward brick mass. PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Physical History: 1. Date of erection: Circa Family tradition states that Ezekiel Forman built this structure for his daughter Elizabeth and her husband, Robert Taylor, when they married in In a disastrous fire destroyed the "large buildings of Mr. James Artus's tavern" on the lot, which included the tavern, kitchen, smokehouse, stables, and granaries.

Forman acquired the property in and had the present building erected. 2. Architect: Not known. 3. Original and subsequent owners: The following is a complete chain of title to the lot on which the structure is located. Reference is to the office of the County Clerk, Maysville, Mason County, Kentucky. TAYLOR HOUSE AND STORE HABS No. (Page 2) Taylor House and Store - (in-lot 21) Reference: Mason County Atlas, Deed Book A, P. 155 August 25, William Wood to William Parkinson. Deed Book A, P. 308 November 26, William Parkinson to Henry Lee and Alexander Orr 300 Pounds Kentucky Currency north half, in-lots 21, 22. Deed Book D, P. 378 November 30, Henry Lee and Alex Orr to Lewis, John, and Whitfield Craig 300 Pounds Currency (Kentucky). Deed Book X, P. 134 August 13, --- Lewis Craig, Jr.

to Whitfield Craig et al - north half, in-lots 21, 22, "on which the tavern house now occupied by James Artus is situated." Lewis Craig, Jr. was in debt to Ezekiel Forman for Deed Book 31, P. 201 September 28, John Craig et al to Ezekiel Forman "lots in Washington lately occupied by James Artus as a tavern, on which the improvements were consumed by fire." Deed Book 48, P. 1 August 28, Thomas S. Forman et al (heirs of Ezekiel Forman) to Elizabeth (Forman) Taylor "brick offices" "lots and houses in Washington now occupied by Robert Taylor, merchant, excepting the dower." Deser. of north half, in-lots 21, 22. Deed Book P. 974 May 5, A. G. Sulser, Master Commissioner to Robert Taylor grantors: J. B, Durrett et al, heirs of Sarah Taylor (dec'd) (Reference Will Book Y, p.

Elizabeth Taylor (dec'd) to Sarah Taylor (daughter), July 11, entered at court on August 2, Will Book 3, p. 77 Mary Wood Taylor (dec'd) to Mary Wood Taylor, Harriet Lansdale Taylor, Dorothy F. Taylor (daughters). Deed Book P. 162 April 7, Robert Taylor to Mary Wood Taylor "brick dwelling and store building". TAYLOR HOUSE AND STORE HABS No. (Page 3) Deed Book P. 576 April 2, Mary Wood Taylor, Harriet L. Taylor, and Dorothy Forman Taylor, to J. A, Lingenfelser. Deed Book P. 302 December 22, J. A. Lingenfelser to Kilgus. Deed Book P. 566 June 11, C. F. Kilgus to Elizabeth Taylor Morris "lots of ground having a brick dwelling and store building thereon" 4. Original Plans, Construction, etc.: The building was designed as a combination store and residence.

No original plans or construction information has been located, but the building appears to be essentially unaltered. An early century photo shows part of the first floor facade with shutters at the windows, and a later photo shows a small hood porch over the north door. There appears to be no interior means of communication between the residential north wing and the commercial south wing. The north wing was inaccessible to HABS members, but the south wing of the structure was apparently originally one large room on each floor, with a straight-run stairway on the north wall. The window plan of the north facade is not repeated in the south facade. Except for patching and repointing, the brickwork indicates that the building was erected as a unit.

Because of the inaccessibility of the north wing, a thorough physical examination of the structure has not been possible. 5. Alterations and additions: Structurally, the building appears to be very little altered. The recent addition of a one-story kitchen to east end of the north wing, qualifies as the only major addition. Doors were cut on either side of the fireplace on the ground floor east wall of the south wing. The door north of the fireplace has been bricked-up. At one time, a large shop window was placed beside the south door on the Main Street facade. This window opening has now been restored to its original state, corresponding to the other ground floor windows. The three handsome entrance doorways with elliptical fanlights have evidently survived intact.

An entrance to the basement of the south wing has been bricked up. Entry to this wing is now beneath the interior stairway. The north wing retains its exterior basement entrance hatchway. In the rear court, a covered porch in the corner has been added. The interior was recently renovated. B. Historical Context: "Taylor's Corner", as it has been called, has been the property of one of Washington's most distinguished families since it was erected, except for a span of twenty-three years after World War II. It is now owned by a descendant. TAYLOR STORE AND HOUSE HABS NO. (Page 4) PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION A. General Statement: 1. Architectural character: This is a good example of a large building in the rural town of Washington of the early century/ in a simplified Federal style. 2.

Condition of fabric: Good. B. Description of Exterior: 1. Over-all dimensions: The main part of the building measures (seven-bay front). The south wing measures and the north wing The whole complex is U-shaped. 2. Foundations: A coursed undressed limestone foundation supports the structure. 3. Walls: The entire structure is of natural red brick walls, laid in Flemish bond, except for a small clapboard addition at the rear end of the north wing. A fading painted Pepsi-Cola sign with "M. L. Glass General Store" on brick highlights the south facade. An arched course of headers appear in either gable end of the main structure. 4. Structural system, framing: The main building is of brick bearing wall construction with wood joist interior framing. The addition is of stud wall construction. 5.

Stoops, porch: Two brick stoops, one with a large landing, appear at two entrances in the front of the building. A tin roofed porch occupies a corner of the inside of the U. 6. Chimneys: The structure has four brick chimneys. Each of the two wings has an inside end chimney in its rear end. Two other chimneys rise from the ridge of the roof: one, with corbels, is in the center of the north wing and the other is in the southernmost section of the main structure. 7. Openings: a. Doorways and doors: The doors on the south and west facades are paneled French doors, with six-light fanlights above. All rear doors do not have fanlights. The south side of rear clapboard addition has a paneled wood door. TAYLOR HOUSE AND STORE HABS No. (Page 5! b.

Windows: The second floor windows are all eight-over-twelve double-hung sash windows. The first floor has twelve-over- twelve double-hung sash windows. Windows are similar on the clapboard addition with eight-over-eight sash. 8. Roof: a. Shape, covering: The gable roofs of the north and south wings intersect with the gable roof of the main building. All roofs are covered with flat seam tin sheet. b. Cornice: The brick walls of the house corbel out to meet the roof. The corbel amounts to three courses. C. Description of Interior: 1. Floor plans: a. South apartment, first and second floors: Entry from Main Street is into a large living room. A kitchen is beyond this room with an exit to the rear of the house.

The stairs lead to a landing on the second floor, with a bathroom to the east and two bedrooms to the south. There is another bathroom, located in the.front bedroom. b. North apartment: inaccessible; at turte of survey conducted by the HABS team. 2. Flooring: Wood plank floors throughout. 3. Wall and ceiling finish: Newly plastered walls (drywall construction) appears throughout the house, 4. Doorways and doors: Solid core doors with panels are used. D. Site: 1. General setting and orientation: The front of the house faces approximately 5 North of West ). Washington's original limestone sidewalk runs in front of the house just above a limestone retaining wall. 2. Outbuildings: A small well in deteriorating condition is placed about four feet from the east wall of the south wing.

Prepared by: Ronald J. Burch, Project Historian and Perry Benson, Project Supervisor Historic American Buildings Survey August TAYLOR HOUSE AND STORE HABS No. (Page 6) PART III. SOURCES OF INFORMATION A. Early Views: Two photos from the album of Frank Wise, Mason County. One early century photo shows shutters on ground floor. Copies of photos are not included in the HABS collection. Newspaper photo, ca. from scrapbook of W. W. Weis. Shows grocery store sign and hood porch over entrance doors. Copy of photo is not included in the HABS collection. B.

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS KY,81-WASH,9-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

1. Primary and unpublished sources: Deed Books, Mason County Court Clerk's Office, Maysville, Kentucky 2. Secondary and published sources: Best, Edna Hunter. The Historic Past of Washington, Mas_on_ County, Kentucky. Cynthiana, Kentucky: The Hobson Press, P- 86 Clift, G. Glenn. History of Maysville and Mason County. Lexington, Kentucky: Transylvania Printing Co., Inc., Lee, Lucy C. A Historical Sketch of Mason County, Kentucky. Louisville, Kentucky: Press of Masonic Home Journal, Paxton, W. M. The Marshall Family. Baltimore, Maryland: Gateway, Inc. , An Illustrated Atlas of Mason County, Kentucky.-Philadelphia: Lake, Griffing and Stevenson, Robert Taylor Geneology Folder. Mason County Museum, Maysville, Kentucky PART IV.

PROJECT INFORMATION The project was undertaken by the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) in co-operation with Old Washington, Inc. in the summer of Under the supervision of John Poppeliers, Chief of HABS, a documentation of nine structures was produced by Perry Benson (University of Pennsylvania), the project supervisor; Ronald Burch {Cornell University), the project historian; Mark Hall (Pennsylvania State University), Kenneth Payson (Cornell University), William F. Petell (Syracuse University) and Steven Shapiro (University of Maryland), student assistant architects. Susan McCown, a HABS historian in the Washington, office, edited the written data for preparation of transmittal to the Library of Congress. ADDENDUM TO HABS No.

Taylor House and Store

Main and Williams Streets Washington / Mason County &I-MWH w Kentucky ' XEROGRAPHIC COPIES OF COLOR TRANSPARENCIES HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Washington,