Mary Cecil Cantrill No. 6 House, 107-108 Post Office Alley, Georgetown

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This four-bay double shotgun residence is an example of rental housing for African-American working-class citizens in the urban setting of a small city in Kentucky. It represent one type of housing provided by white landlords for their black tenants. The building originally stood on Main Street where it served as a commercial structure from circa to when it was moved to its present location and converted to a two- household residence. Although larger than most of the neighboring houses, it is similar in many respects, having a shed roof and a depth of three rooms. However, the dentils under the cornice are # notable for this neighborhood. MARY CECIL CANTRILL #6 HOUSE HABS NO. (page 2) PART I; HISTORICAL INFORMATION A.

Physical History 1- Date of erection: originally built in another location in circa moved to present location in 2. Architect/Builder: unknown; moved to present location by Mary Cecil cantrill or her agent. 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: converted to two household residence at time of move to present location. B. Historical Context: This two-household dwelling is part of a small, turn-of-the-century African-American neighborhood comprised of a mixture of owner-occupied houses and rental properties.

Its original function as a commercial structure in a Main Street location (along with the structure standing east of it) , the fact that it and its neighbor stand on the interior of the neighborhood tract on what were once rear yards for North Mulberry Street houses, and its late date of erection on the site, suggest a trend among white landlords to reuse older buildings and fill in open yard space in small neighborhoods, thus creating a high density urban block and maximizing rental profits. With the erection of Post Office Alley and the house to the east the neighborhood attained a high density of structures, mostly used for rental purposes.

Considering the neighborhood's close proximity to Georgetown's downtown, efficient use of strategically located real estate was a logical strategy for landlords seeking to maximize profits. MARY CECIL CANTRILL #6 HOUSE HABS NO. (page 3) PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION A. General Statement: The Cantrill #6 house is classified under the property subtype of a shed-roofed double shotgun plan. It is a one story, turn-of-the-century, vernacular frame double shotgun building with a four-bay (door-window/window-door) front, clapboard siding, dry-laid limestone foundation, and shed roof fronted by a square parapet with a dentil band beneath the wood cornice and a full shed porch on square posts with dividing railing.

Although originally built as a commercial structure, it was converted to a two-household residence when it was moved to its present location. Each apartment is accessed by a separate front door entering into a living room. Each apartment is equipped with a single bedroom, a bathroom and a kitchen. The bathrooms and closets servicing the bedrooms are built in the middle of the house, forming the division between the two apartments. Each apartment has a separate rear entry or back porch. 1. Architectural character: This house merits recording because it is an example of a type of rental housing provided for African-American working-class families in the early century.

It is unusual in that it was originally a commercial structure that was relocated, modified and adapted to residential housing. 2. Condition of fabric: fair # B. Description of Exterior: 1. Overall dimensions: 30 2* by 43* 6", excluding porches. 2. Foundations: dry laid, rough limestone with concrete covering; rear portion built on concrete block. 3. Walls: wood frame, dimensional lumber, clapboard with corner board trim. 4. Structural system, framing: assumed to be balloon framing. 5. Porches, stoops, balconies, bulkheads: The front porch extends across the entire width of the house, sheltering two front doors on either end of the front wall. The porch measures 28' 2" by 5' 8", and has a shed roof and wooden pier foundation. Steps lead to the rear entry doors of each apartment. 6.

Chimneys: single central chimney 7- Openings: (By elevations) t The front (south) is divided into four bays (door-window-window- door) with an entry and window to each dwelling unit. Windows are MARY CECIL CANTRILL #6 HOUSE HABS NO. (page 4) 6/6 sash, one door has four panels and the other is wood panelled with an oval light above. The front parapet has a projecting wood cornice and three louvered vents in the frieze. A full shed porch has seamed metal roofing and square posts. The rear (north) elevation is divided into four bays (door-window- door-window) , has a recessed northeast corner porch with square corner post support, a 6/6 sash, a recessed entry and 6/6 sash window. This rear area rests on a concrete block foundation and concrete block steps lead to the two recessed entries. 8.

Roof: shed type; tarpaper covering; cornice has dentil band. c. Description of Interior: 1. Floor plans: Each apartment has a similar floor plan. The east apartment has a living room measuring 11' 10" by 14* 3", which opens into the bedroom f (11 10" by 16' The bedroom has access to a closet (6 3" in length) and a bathroom 1" in length), built along the dividing line between the two apartments. The bedroom opens into the kitchen in the southeast corner of the building. A rear entry hall is located on the west side of the kitchen, and leads to the rear steps. The west apartment has a living room 10" by 14' 3") which accesses a # bathroom (4* 10" in length) and the bedroom 10" by 16' The closet is accessed from the bedroom.

The bedroom accesses the kitchen (81 2" by n') which opens onto a back porch (5* 10" by 11' 4") . A rear landing and steps is attached to the rear wall of this apartment, 2. Flooring: tongue and groove pine in very poor condition as some of the floor joists have deteriorated, causing the floor to collapse. 4. Wall and ceiling finish: painted plaster. 5. Openings: The two entries originally had two light transoms, but one has been covered with plywood. 6. Decorative features and trim: original molded baseboards, molded door and window trim with bullseye corner blocks, D. Site 1. General setting and orientation: The house is located on the north side of Post Office Alley, and fronts south. 2. Historic landscape design; none. % MARY CECIL CANTRIIiL #6 HOUSE HABS NO. (page 5) 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 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.

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., Shelbyvi1le, 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, MARY CECIL CANTRILL 06 HOUSE HABS No. (page 6) # _! 0) <T> in D > " 3- Q nj - UJ 2: 3 "3 I LU .J CE <J u) z: <