Mary Cecil Cantrill No. 4 House, 218 Oregon Street, Georgetown

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS KY-218. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

none {scheduled for demolition) statement of significance: The Cantrill #4 house represents a type of residence built for late 19th-early century African- American working-class tenants. It is significant for its role as a residential subtype (double shed-roofed shotgun plan) typical of African-American housing after the Civil War. Intended for two households, it represents a solution to the housing needs of a growing African-American urban population during the turn of the century in Georgetown. MARY CECIL CANTRILL #4 HOUSE HABS NO. (page 2)

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS KY-218. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Physical History 1. Date of erection: circa (not shown on Sanborn insurance map; in place by insurance map). 2. Architect/Builder: unknown; construction authorized by Mary Cecil Cantrill. 3. original and subsequent owners: deed, October 27, recorded in Volume 27, p. D. L. Moore to Mary c. Cantrill. deed, January 1, recorded in Volume 35, p. James E. and Mary c. Cantrill to George v. Payne, Trustee of Mary c. Cantrill. deed, November 16, recorded in Volume 54, p. w. R. Hall et al. to Trustees, Wesley Chapel M. E. Church. deed, December 28, recorded in Volume 58, p. Trustees, Wesley Chapel M.E. Church to E. B. and Bettie W. Davis. deed, August 17, recorded in Volume 72, p. Betty w. Davis et al. to Cecil and Mamie Scott. deed, August 31, recorded in Volume p.

Cecil Scott to Georgetown Urban Renewal and Community Development Agency. 4. Alterations and additions: none B. Historical context: The cantrill #4 house was built during the late 19th-early century when the nature of African- American housing was in a state of flux in Georgetown. With the movement of greater numbers of African-Americans from rural areas into town and the deterioration of hastily built, post-civil War housing units, many new houses were built to supply a growing urban population. This spurt in new construction gave rise to more small neighborhoods, tucked into alleyways and along secondary streets, that were occupied exclusively by African-American citizens.

Many of these housing units, like this house, were intended for occupancy by more than one household and were frequently owned by white landlords. PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION A. General Statement: The Cantrill #4 house is classified under the property subtype of a shed-roofed double shotgun house. It is a one story, frame, clapboard sided, vernacular, four-bay (window-door-door-window) residence with a front parapet and shed roof. The building rests on a dry-laid random coursed, rough MARY CECIL CANTRILL #4 HOUSE HABS NO. (page 3) limestone foundation and has a two-bay shed porch. It was intended for dual occupancy. The shed-roofed front porch shelters two centered front doors which lead into two equal-sized halves that served as two separate apartments. 1.

Architectural character: This house merits recording because it represents an important subtype of the shotgun style, and because it fulfilled an important role in providing housing for working-class African-American families around the turn of the century. 2. Condition of fabric: fair, but rapidly deteriorating since it became vacant. B. Description of Exterior: 1. overall dimensions: 28' by excluding porch. 2. Foundations: dry laid cut rubble limestone. 3. Walls: sawn wood frame, covered with weatherboarding; dimensional lumber. 4. structural system, framing: presumed to be balloon framing. 5. Porches, stoops, balconies, bulkheads: The front porch rests on a concrete block foundation, measures 12' 4 11 by 5 1 9" and shelters two centered front doors.

The porch has a wooden balustrade; its roof is supported by three turned posts. Storage area beneath porch accessed by steps on east side of porch. 6. Chimneys: one central brick chimney. 7. openings: (By elevation) The front (north) elevation is divided into four regular bays featuring two 2/2 vertically divided sash windows and two 1/2 light panelled doors. The two-bay porch is built on a raised concrete block foundation with steps leading from the east side. The sides and rear are covered with brick-patterned asbestos siding. 8. Roof: shed roof; type of shingles unknown. c. Description of Interior: 1. Floor plans: The first floor is divided by a central partition forming two nearly identical halves two rooms in depth.

The front rooms on both sides measure 13' 4" by 15 1 10 11 , and open MARY CECIL CANTRILL #4 HOUSE HABS NO. (paqe 4) into rear rooms 4" by 11' 10 11 ) . A small closet or bathroom (6' 3 11 by 6 1 has been added to the rear room in the southwest corner of the house, probably during the time when the house was rented by single households. The interior of this house has been completely gutted. D. Site: 1. General setting and orientation: The house is located on the south side of Oregon Street and fronts north. It abuts against the Wesley Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church on the southwest corner of North Mulberry and Oregon streets. 2. Historic landscape design: none 3. outbuildings: none PART III. SOURCES OF INFORMATION A. original architectural drawings: none B. Early views: none c.

Interviews: none D. Bibliography 1. Primary and unpublished sources: Scott county deed books (see Section I.3); Ann Bolton Bevins, INVOLVEMENT OF BLACKS IN SCOTT COUNTY COMMERCE DURING THE POSTBELLUM PERIOD Manuscript on file, Kentucky Heritage Council, Frankfort, Kentucky. 2. Secondary and published sources: none known PART IV. PROJECT INFORMATION The HABS documentation of this and other buildings is being performed to comply with the requirements of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the city of Georgetown and the Kentucky Heritage Council. The City of Georgetown received a grant to acquire these buildings in order to demolish them, owing to their poor condition and because they are unsuitable for rehabilitation and reuse.

The MOA required that the structures be documented according to HABS criteria and accepted by HABS prior to demolition. MARY CECIL CANTRILL #4 HOUSE HABS NO.

(paqe 5) The following people and firms contributed to the documentation effort: Charlie Perkins, City Attorney, Georgetown, Kentucky John Coyle, Georgetown Housing Authority William Hamilton, Mayor's Office, Georgetown, Kentucky Will Linder & Associates, Consultants, Inc., Berea, Kentucky Chris Amos, architectural historian, Amos & Burry, Inc., Shelbyville, Kentucky Ann Bolton Bevins, architectural historian, Georgetown, Kentucky Prepared by: Nancy O'Malley Title: Research Associate in Anthropology Affiliation: University of Kentucky, Lexington Date: November 15, TRILL 114 HOUSE MARYNCECIKLY~~S (page 6) HABS 0 D D in )- D ~ 0) Ol :z: i ::r D 0 (_J 0 w >- ;. a! w (\J 0 (_J llJ a:: w _J co 0 z:. a: (\J w (_J , ::i u ({) D D ,_ :i:: a:: 0 z