Fort Thomas Military Reservation Administrative Officers' Quarters, Building No. 34-35, 34-35 Cochran Avenue, Fort Thomas

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS KY-301-J. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Building is a contributing resource in the Fort Thomas Military Reservation National Register of Historic Places district nomination, which details the reservation's significance for its association with U.S. military history and with events and persons of significance in American history. 1 The building is also significant as part of a distinct group of administrative officers' quarters with an intact setting and landscape, and as an example of late nineteenth-century Army family-housing design. Description: Building is a two-and-one-half-story, symmetrical duplex dwelling constructed of local red brick and set on a stone and brick foundation containing a full basement.

The five-row common-bond brick building contains a hip-roof central block; a forward gabled extension centered on the fa<_;:ade elevation with a hip-roof oriel window within the gable; and two-story, multi-bay, hip-roof extensions to the side at both the southeast and southwest comers of the building. A brick pilaster with corbelling at the top extends up the center of the fa<;ade elevation, providing support for the oriel window. Recessed areas within the brick flank the oriel window. Single- story, hip-roof porches wrap around both front corners of the central block between the sidewalls of the forward gabled extension and the front walls of the multi-bay extensions at the rear corners.

The two porches provide shelter for the primary entries located on the front wall of the central block on each side of the building and the secondary entries located on the front wall of the multi-bay extensions on each rear corner of the building. All four of these entries feature replacement doors, nonhistoric storm doors, and original transom windows. Both front porches are supported by square, wood Tuscan columns and exhibit simple replacement balustrades exhibiting small rectangular balusters. The majority of the windows throughout the building appear to contain original one-over-one or slightly smaller two-over-two double-hung wood sashes.

Above the two primary entry bays are tri- part windows with narrow one-over-one double-hung windows the same height as the remaining windows flanked by smaller one-over-one windows shorter in height. All windows on the first and second levels exhibit rectangular stone lintels and sills that have been painted white. Two-light basement windows are visible on the fa<_;:ade and both side elevations, and larger one-over-one replacement windows are visible on the rear elevation on the basement level.

The rear elevation of Building features two rear entries on the first floor and two rear entries on the basement level, which is fully visible at the rear of the 1Betty Maddox Daniels, "Fort Thomas Military Reservation District National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form" (Kentucky Heritage Council, FORT THOMAS MILITARY RESERVATION, BUILDING HABS No. (page 2) building. Both entries on the first floor contain replacement doors, transom windows, and nonhistoric storm doors. The entries are accessible via a shared poured-concrete porch with two concrete stairways. The porch is sheltered by a hip roof that is supported by poured-concrete Tuscan columns with simple wood balustrades between. The porch floor is supported by square concrete supports.

The two basement entries feature replacement doors and storm doors. The roof of the entire building is sheathed in asphalt shingles. The roofs on the porches are sheathed in tin panels. A simple wood soffit is found throughout, and a wide wood cornice runs between the second-level windows and the base of the oriel window along the fa<;ade elevation. Four chimneys pierce the roof of the building: two interior chimneys along the center ridgeline above the central block and one at each outer end of the multi-bay extension at each rear corner of the building. The two central chimneys exhibit decorative bands of brick at the top and slightly below the top and one terra cotta chimney pot each.

Each chimney at the end of the multi- bay extensions exhibits a concrete shoulder, a brick band around the center, and a brick band around the top. A gabled eyebrow containing a vent is found on each side of the roof over the forward gable-roof extension, and a gable-roof dormer containing a one-over-one double-hung window is found on the roof above each side elevation of the central block. The sidewalls of the dormer are clad in asphalt shingles. Two additional, small gable-roof dormers are found above the rear elevation. The interior floor plans on the first floor of both units 34 and 35 are identical but reversed from one another, with the exception of a few small alterations that have taken place over time.

Each unit features an L-shaped main entry hall, parlor, dining room, kitchen, half bathroom, and butler's pantry. A cantilevered, curved grand staircase leads to the upper levels off the main entry hall, and a basement stairway is found off of the kitchen. A rear stair leads from the kitchen and connects to the grand staircase by a doorway on the landing. The primary entry bay leads into the main entry hall in each unit, and the secondary entry on the fa<;ade elevation leads into the dining room.

The first floor of unit 34 features replacement wood floors, fluted moldings and bull's eyes around all of the openings, conjoined bull's eyes in the kitchen where two door surrounds meet, wide but simple baseboard moldings, a pocket door leading into the parlor, and decorative scroll patterns beneath each stair tread on the stringboard. The Newell post at the base of the main stairway exhibits a pyramidal cap on top and sunburst and scalloped detailing. The fireplace in the parlor retains the original carved wood mantel, though it has been painted white. The mantelpiece itself is simple and is supported by a decorative curved piece beneath.

Vertical turned supports run between the mantel and the floor, and three carved wood rosettes are placed horizontally along the area beneath the mantel. The dining room also retains a fireplace, though it appears the mantel and surround have been replaced. The original tile hearth remains and exhibits relief tile work in shades of browns and yellows, similar to the tile work found in Building 1 that has been attributed to the Kensington Art Tile Company of Newport, Kentucky. The surround, which partially covers the tile hearth, exhibits fluted pilaster supports, beaded and dentil molding, FORT THOMAS MILITARY RESERVATION, BUILDING HABS No. (page 3) and a built-in shelving unit above the mantel. The firebox has been enclosed.

An original built-in china press is still found in the walk-through pantry between the dining room and the kitchen, though an original sink in this pantry has been removed. A small half bath has been added in a former kitchen pantry.2 The first floor of unit 35 exhibits similar characteristics to unit 34, with a few alterations. This unit exhibits the same fireplace surround in the parlor as unit 34; however, in this unit the paint has been removed. The fireplace in the dining room has been removed, and the floor has been patched in the location of the hearth. The Newell post at the base of the main stairway is similar to the one in unit 34, although this one exhibits a carved floral pattern in place of the sunburst and sawtooth detailing in place of the scalloped.

The original china press inside the butler's pantry in unit 35 has been removed, and the back stairway leading from the kitchen to the main stairway landing has been converted into a kitchen pantry. The doorway on the landing now opens to reveal a storage closet. The transom window above the doorway between the kitchen and the main hall now exhibits a stained-glass window. The second floor of both units 34 and 35 features a central hall or landing, three bedrooms, multiple closets, and a full bathroom. The second levels of both units exhibit materials and ornamentation identical to those found on the first levels. In unit 35 the transom windows have been covered or painted over, and all of the fireplaces have been removed from both units.

The small window flanked by two smaller windows, seen on the exterior, is found within a hallway linen closet and a bedroom closet. The small side windows in unit 35 are filled with stained glass; they are simple clear glass in unit 34. The main staircase continues from the second floor to the third level. A small alcove is found within the curve of the stair in both units. The third floors in both units feature two finished rooms, a central hall, and a former bathroom noted on undated plans as a servant's bathroom.3 Painted wood floors and fluted moldings with bull's eyes are found on the third floor of both units. Building also features a full basement beneath each of the two residential units.

The basements exhibit stone foundation walls, brick foundation walls, some pargeted walls, and brick piers. The various support walls create a series of large rooms in the basement. The floor plans for this building identify the basement rooms as a laundry, cellar, and coal cellar. 4 Additional doors leading to the outside beneath the rear porches are found on the rear wall in each basement. Also associated with Building is a collapsed vehicular garage, Army building number situated at the southwest corner of the building. The gable-oriented garage appears to have featured brick piers at the corners and in the center of the front entry between two vehicular bays. It also had a frame roof sheathed in asphalt shingles, and the fa<;:ade gable was clad in asbestos siding over asphalt shingles.

2 Floor plans and drawings, Files of the Facilities Management Department of the Fort Thomas facility of the Cincinnati Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Fort Thomas, Kentucky; and Grashof, 3 Ibid 4 Ibid FORT THOMAS MILITARY RESERVATION, BUILDING HABS No. (page 4) Building is situated on Cochran Avenue slightly southwest of the southerly corner of The Loop (Alexander Circle) and directly west of Building to which it is identical. Named for the order in which it was constructed, this building, along with a number of the other administrative officers' quarters on Alexander Circle, was completed not long after the commandant's quarters (Building 1). Buildings and were originally set facing the post's parade grounds, which now serves as a ball field for the City of Fort Thomas's Tower Park.

A private drive, present on a site plan, passes to the rear of Buildings and providing access to the vehicular garages associated with both buildings. 5 Building at the Fort Thomas Military Reservation is in moderate condition on both the exterior and interior. It appears that the brickwork and mortar have been repaired in the location of both chimneys on the multi-bay extensions, as well as in a number of additional areas in other locations around the building. Visible areas of the roof and some portions of the chimneys appear to be deteriorating. Though vacant, the building and surrounding grounds appear to be actively maintained by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the City of Fort Thomas (owner of Tower Park).

The building remains locked and is regularly patrolled and inspected by the Department of Veterans Affairs security and maintenance staff. History: Building was constructed by local contractor/builder Henry Schriver in It was designed under the Office of the Quartermaster General. Constructed to serve as a duplex residence for administrative officers, this building is identical in plan to Building Undated floor plans for Buildings and identified in the files of the facilities management department of the Fort Thomas facility that appear to be fairly early indicate that the building has changed very little throughout the twentieth century.

The only variations of note on the first floor of both units include the conversion of a kitchen pantry into a bathroom, the loss of the dining room fireplace in unit 35, and the alteration of the rear stair in unit 35. On the second levels, no variations from the earlier floor plans were noted, except for the loss of the original fireplaces and the covering over of some of the transom windows. The third floor and basement levels do not appear to have been altered. 6 With the exception of these changes and some updated finishes and fixtures, Building at Fort Thomas remains nearly the same today as it was according to the floor plans.

In addition, upon referencing early site plans, it appears that little to no alteration to the layout, design, landscape, or setting has occurred within the area containing the ten administrative officers' quarters, with the exception of the construction of some stone landscaping elements, which likely were built during the 7 Building was originally under the ownership of the U.S. Army. This remained the case until when the U.S. Army Air Force assumed control of the post in order to utilize the barracks building as a hospital, which only lasted until 46, when all of the buildings became the property of the U.S. Army Corps of 5 Floor plans and drawings. 6 Ibid. 7 Ibid FORT THOMAS MILITARY RESERVATION, BUILDING HABS No. (page 5) Engineers.

It was shortly thereafter declared surplus by the War Department and in October fell under the ownership of the Veterans Administration (later the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs), who again utilized the barracks building for a hospital as well as a nursing home care facility. The remainder of the Fort Thomas Military Reservation has been used for a variety of purposes since the Department of Veterans Affairs assumed ownership of the site, including a military equipment storage site, an Induction Center during the Korean War, an Army Reserve Center, National Guard artillery unit headquarters, and Veterans Affairs personnel housing.

8 In and again in much of the acreage at the then deactivated Fort Thomas Military Reservation was divided off, although the ten administrative officers' quarters situated around Alexander Circle and along Cochran A venue remained under the ownership of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and were utilized as housing. The Department of Veterans Affairs still owns them today; however, all ten quarters were vacated sometime during the first decade of the twenty-first century.

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS KY-301-J. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Daniels, Betty Maddox. "Fort Thomas Military Reservation District National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form." On file at Kentucky Heritage Council, Frankfort, Kentucky, - - - . "Fort Thomas Military Reservation." In The Enryclopedia of Northern Kentuc~, edited by Paul A. Tenkotte and James C. Claypool, Lexington, Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky, Floor plans and drawings. Files of the Facilities Management Department of the Fort Thomas facility of the Cincinnati Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Fort Thomas, Kentucky.

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS KY-301-J. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Ann Marie P. Doyon/MHP, Architectural Historian, Cultural Resource Analysts, Inc., Lexington, Kentucky,July-August 8 Betty Maddox Daniels, "Fort Thomas Military Reservation," in The Encyclopedia of Northern Kentucky, ed. Paul A. Tenkotte and James C. Claypool (Lexington, Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky, ADDENDUM TO: HASS FORT THOMAS MILITARY RESERVATION ADMINISTRATIVE HABS OFFICERS' QUARTERS, BUILDING NO. (Administrative Officers' Quarters (Duplex)) Site Fort Thomas Military Reservation Cochran Avenue Fort Thomas Campbell County Kentucky PHOTOGRAPHS HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior C Street NW Washington, DC