Henry Marvin Yerington House, 512 North Division Street, Carson City, Carson City

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS NEV,13-CARU,17-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

decorative late century structure. The home of Yerington, an important figure in the early history of the State of Nevada, it is well maintained and largely in original condition. PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Physcial History: 1. Date of erection: Circa The property was deeded to Yerington in the fall of The Directory for Ormsby County is the earliest directory having Yerington living at this address. Further, there is a photograph of the house, dated c, from the Yerington family album. 2. Architect: none known, 3. Original and subsequent owners: The Yerington House Is built on the northern half of Block No. 59 of Proctor and Green's Division of Carson City. (Frank M. Proctor and Green were two of the four original purchasers In of the Eagle Ranch, upon which Carson City was platted).

The following references tracing the title of the property are found in the Ormsby County, Nevada, Deed Books: Deed, September 8, recorded in Book 11, page James Fraser received title to lots 1, 2, 3 and k and the north half of lots 5 and 6 in Block 59 in fee simple from the United States Government. (The lots are the northern half of Block IT- HENRY MARVIN YERINGTON HOUSE HABS No. NEV-13-18 Page 2 Deed, February lU,. recorded in Book 11, page Peter Lightle "bought lots 1, 2, 3 and 4 and the north half of lots 5 and 6 in Block 59 from James Fraser for Deed, November lk, recorded in Book 12, page 18U. O.P.

Willis "bought lots 1, 2, 3 and k and the north half of lots 5 and 6 from Peter Lightle and Anna Lightle for Deed, October if, recorded in Book 12, page Susan Mary Yerington (wife of Henry M. Yerington) bought the north half of block 59 from Orlando P. Willis and Margaret E. Willis for Deed April 9, recorded in Book 37, page Clara V. Yerington (second wife and widow of Henry M. Yerington) sold the north half of Block 59 to Peter Heitman for Title to the property changed hands several times during the and the rear lot, on which a stable had been located, was sold during this decade. The house was eventually purchased hy George B. Russell, who lived in it until his death in Deed June 6, recorded in Ormsby County Official Records, Book 76, page Omer W.

Wolf and Marie Rose Wolf bought the northern one-half of Block 59 (except for the west 60 feet) from the estate of George B. Russell, deceased. Deed, March 8, recorded in Ormsby County Official Records, Book page John R. Bullis and Bonnie J. Bullis purchased the northern one-half of Block 59, except for the west 60 feet from Omer W. and Marie Rose Wolf. 5. Alterations and additions: The major additions to the house seem to have been made early in the Yerington tenure. The north wing, now a separate apartment, was originally the wine cellar and service wing. It consists of several small rooms wrapped around a hollow core which is several feet below grade. This was the wine cellar., and may have served for. cold storage as well.

It is reached by a flight of several steps from the front Ceast) room of the north wing. to. HENRY MARVIN YERINGTON HOUSE HABS No. NEV-13-18 Page 3 The ceiling of the wine cellar is lower than the ceiling height of the rooms which surround it. Storage shelves, closets, etc., are installed above it. These open into the several surrounding rooms with doors near the ceiling level. This wing is shown in a photograph which is dated circa In all probability, it is a very early addition, if not in fact contemporaneous with the main block of the house. The rear portion of the southern wing is also an early addition, and is seen in an photograph. By there was a sun parlor on the southeast of the house, this wrapped around the east front of the wing and the southern side of the main block.

From the notes and bills in the Yerington papers at The Bancroft Library of the University of California at Berkeley, it would seem that there was much construction activity on the house during the years The work must have been essentially complete by May 31, when an item occurs concerning the laying of. carpets. It is more than probable that the present southeast room, which is not present in the photograph, was added at this time. The sun parlor, or porch, was removed from its original location and at least a portion of it placed to the east of the new room. It may well be that it was at this same time that the arch of Philippine mahogany was installed in the dining room.

In the original scheme, the dining room would undoubtedly have been two rooms, perhaps connected by double doors, With the addition of the new formal parlor, (the SE room), the partition wall between the old parlor and the dining room could have been removed, and the arch installed as both support and decoration. During their recent restoration the present owners found several initials and a date (RER, on the ceiling of the dining room under a plaster medallion. During the mid century, under the ownership of Mr. Russell, the house was divided into three apartments; one on the south, one in the middle (comprising the original portion of the house), and one in the nortb wing. The first two divisions have been eliminated, and the former southern and middle apartments are now reunited.

The northern wing, formerly the servants quarters, still functions as a separate rental unit, B. Historical Events and Persons Connected with the Structure: J3-CAr<ci HENRY MARVIN HERINGTON HOUSE HABS No, NEV-13-18 Page h Henry Marvin Yerington was born in Colburne, Ontario, Canada on September 5 In he married Susan Mary Hume, and in with his wife and two sons came to Carson City. At this time Yerington was- associated primarily with milling operations. He is listed in the Directory as "Yerington, millman". He constructed the first flume for sending timber down from Lake Tahoe to the Carson Valley. By he was associated with the Virginia- and Truckee Railroad, which was organized in March of that year, and drove the first and the last spikes for the V.

and T, tracks from Virginia City to Carson City. In he was appointed General Superintendent of the V. & T. There were three sons and a daughter of this first marriage. The first Yerington died in May and in Mr. Yerington married Clara Bender. There was one child, Henry Herbert, of this marriage. In I876 Yerington became Vice- president, as well as continuing to be General Superintendent, of the railroad. He was also largely responsible for the Carson and Colorado Railroad, which was completed in and sold to The Southern Pacific Company in During the course of his many faceted professional career, Yerington was involved in over forty companies, generally as an officer or member of a Board of Directors.

In addition to the railroad, his major interests were in milling, mining, and timber operations. He was also at one time president of the Carson Water Works. The Yeringtons were very active in the Episcopal Church (see HABS No. NEV-13-ll). Yerington himself held no political office but by virtue of his position with the railroad and consequently the mining and industrial interests, was able to influence many of the policies and decisions of Nevada politics of his time. In his later years, Mr. Yerington became deaf, and according to the children in the neighborhood, quite irascible. Perhaps a truer measure of the man is the fact that the day before he died, he went to his office and burned all the notes due him from individuals to whom he had lent money over the years.

The next day, November 25, he passed away. His funeral, held at St. Peter's Episcopal Church, was the largest which had then been held in Carson City. Special trains were run from Virginia City and Reno. Yerington is buried in Lone Mountain Cemetery in Carson City. The Yerington family held the house until During the mid- twentieth century, Mr. George-B. Russell was perhaps the most noted of its occupants. Russell was a native of Elko, served n. MARVIN YERINGTON HOUSE HABS No. NEV-13-18 Page 5 two terms in the Nevada State Assembly, and in "became Supervisor of the U.S. Census for the State. In he was appointed State Treasurer, and moved permanently to Carson City. In he was elected to the post of treasurer and served for eight years. In Russell became bailiff of the U.S.

District Court in Carson City and held this position until his retire- ment in i960. Russell made the house into three apartments and occupied the central one. C. Sources of Information: 1. Old Views: The Yerington family album contains many pictures relating to the house, both exterior and interior. The present owners of the house have an extensive collection of these photographs hung in the appropriate rooms of the house. These were furnished by Mr. Stephen Drew (see Bibliography), who- also has a large group of early photo- graphs of the house. 2.

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS NEV,13-CARU,17-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Beebe, Lucius, and Clegg, Charles.' Steamers to The Cornstock Berkeley: Howell-North, Beebe, Lucius, and Clegg, Charles. Virginia and Truckee, A Story of Virginia City and Comstock Times, Berkeley: Brown, Bertha Bender. A Tale of Three Cities, Reno Carson, San Francisco, Naturegraph Co., (The author of this volume is the niece of the second Yerington. There is a chapter entitled "Stories of Uncle Henry"). The Nevada Appeal Carson City, October 27 s (.obituary notice of George B. Russell). Davis, Sam. P., ed. The History of Nevada,Reno: The Elms Publishing Co., Myrick, David P. Railroads of Nevada and Eastern California (Vol. 1, The Northern Roads) Berkeley: Howell-North Thompson, Thomas H., and West, Albert A.

History of Nevada Berkeley: Hovel 1-North, (.facsimile reprint of this volume which was originally published in Wren,..Thomas, ed, ,,:A'History'of" the 'State' df "Nevada, 'Its 'Resources 'and_'People. New York: Lewis Publishing Co, tfEV. . n. HENRY MARVIN YERIHGTON HOUSE MBS Ho. NEV-13-18 Page 6 Storey, Ormsby, Washoe and Lyon Counties Directory. Sacremento: Crocker and Co., The most extensive collection of Yerington material is in the Bancroft Library at the University of California in Berkeley. There are some letters relating to Yerington, in addition to other papers. This material has been researched by Mr. Stephen E. Drew, Randolph Avenue, Oakland, California, who is one of the leading authorities on Yerington and the Virginia and Truckee Rail- road (see HABS Ho. HEV-13-7).

Mr- Drew generously gave of his time and material in the preparation of this study. Prepared by: S. Allen Chambers, Jr. Architectural Historian Historic American Build- ings Survey December PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION A. General Statement; 1. Architectural Merit and Interest: A late nineteenth-century house of unusally decorative character -with important historical associations. 2. Condition of fabric: Good; recently repaired and put in good condition. Now veil maintained, B. Description of Exterior: 1. Overall dimensions: about 23 ft. by 39 one-and-a-half stories, rectangular. Overall dimensions including early additions, about 86 ft. by 69 roughly T-shaped. 2. Foundations: Low, largely covered with a wooden base member, wooden water table.

Brick foundation under bay windows and porches. 3. Walls: The oldest part is covered with siding exposed four inches; other parts have novelty siding with seven-inch exposure. There are corner boards. The exterior is now painted a cool gray with white trim. k. Structural system: Wood frame. 17- HENRY MARVIN YERINGTON HOUSE HABS No. HEV-13-18 Page 7 5. Porches: East: on the main front there is a one-story porch, one "by three hays. Columns are made of two 2" by V pieces with a space between; this is a type common in the locality. The columns have a moulded "base, a "dado" band and a cap band. Above the caps there are foliated-scroll brackets. There is a narrow cornice. A shed roof of low pitch has the rafters exposed underneath, with the ceiling of matched and beaded boards.

The floor is of narrow matched pine boards. A porch on the east side of the northwest wing is similar in size and design. Its roof is covered with composition shingles. At the west end of the building there is a rear porch, 6. Chimneys: There are modern brick chimneys in the east gable and near the center of the south side. Older chimneys are located on the south portion of the east front, at the west gable of the original portion, and on the south wall of the southwest wing. 7. Openings: a. Doors: The main entrance is near the center of the east front (SE corner of original portion). It is recessed, the jambs and soffit being paneled. There are narrow side-lights with colored glass etched with an ornamental vine motive. Amber and blue backgrounds alternate; the vine is clear glass.

Above the door there is a transom with a figure composition, "Spring and Autumn"; the background is red, the figures clear glass. The door has two horizontal panels in the lower part, with raised fields ornamented with horizontal reeding. In the upper part of the door there is a large glazed panel; a geo- metrical pattern of beveled leaded plate glass. It does not appear to have its original hardware. At the south end of the entrance porch a doorway enters an enclosed porch. The door has a semicircular head and is glazed. At either side there is a narrow semicir- cular-headed sidelight. The entrance door to the northwest wing is modern. b, Windows: Windows in the oldest part have plain trim with a moulded cornice; sash are replacements, one light above one light, double hung.

In other places some windows are rectangular, others segmental-arched. Sash are double hung, one light above one light. Most rectangular windows have cornices. 17- ' HENRY MARVIN XERINGTON HOUSE HAES No. NEV-13-18 Page 8 Windows of the bays and enclosed porch are grouped; they have semicircular heads and trim with a roll mould- ing. Double-hung sash have one light above one light. There are panels below- the sills. 8. Roof: There is a gable roof over the original part of the house, now covered with composition shingles. The other areas have either flat or shed roofs. There are no dormers. 9. Cornice: There are a plain frieze band, ornamental brackets in pairs, a course of large dentils, corona, cavetto and ovolo mouldings.

On the enclosed porch and bay windows, there are a narrow architrave band, plain frieze, a course of large dentils, (single) modillions with pendant acorn, corona and small cavetto. C. Description of Interior: 1. Plan: The original (.central) portion appears to have had a stair hall along the south side and two rooms along the north side (front and rear). There may have been a service wing at the west end. At present the stair hall is central, with two large rooms on the south and a single long room on the north. Toward the west end there are smaller rooms, and wings at the north and south sides. On the second story, which extends only above the original building, there are front and rear rooms separated by a small hall. These appear to be original. 2.

Stairway: There is an open-well stair with winders at the turn. It is rather narrow, with open string, moulded hand- rail, a newel which is partly round and partly octagonal, and two turned balusters per tread. There are eighteen risers . 3. Flooring: Most floors have modern coverings. Second-floor rooms have 3 1/V pine boards, painted. h. Finish: Room by Room: Call items described are old). a. Southeast room:. Although a later addition, this area can be considered the east half of a double parlor, since there is a wide opening on the west wall. \A/ V. ,- ; ' H- HEHRY MARVIN YERINGTON HOUSE HABS So. HEV-13-18 Page 9 At the center of the east wall there is a fireplace of gray marble with incised gilded ornament.

At each side of the opening there is a pilaster strip; in the entab- lature there is a projecting central tablet. In the overmantel, colonnettes support a low two-centered pointed arch. There are brackets above the capitals and scalloped cresting along the top. This overmantel is wood, varnished, of a dark brown color. Door and window openings have architrave trim, now painted white. There is a moulded base, on a plinth. At the top of the wall there is a frieze about two feet wide, containing delicate, very low relief composition ornament; geometrically arranged scrolls and foliage. An enriched picture mould marks the bottom of this frieze. A wide rectangular opening on the west wall contains double sliding doors, each having four moulded panels; there is a silver mortice lock.

Above the doors there is a grille which appears to be cast brass; it is divided into three square panels and two horizontal rectangular panels, symmetrically. In each smaller panel there is a torch super-imposed on a wreath, with scrolls in the corners. In each larger panel there is a wreath with four radiating anthemions, their axes forming an X; at the outer corners there are anthemion-like scrolls. At the center of the ceiling is suspended a combination gas and electric lighting fixture, made of brass. There are three globes on brackets and a globe at the bottom. This fixture has been in the house for a long time, but was installed after since it does not appear in a photograph of that date. b. South central room: This opens to the southeast room and is of the same size and shape.

Each room has a large bay window at the center of its south wall, con- taining a decorative grille at the head of the opening to the room. The trim is largely similar. In this room the old ceiling is visible. Above a frieze similar to that described above, on the ceiling, there is a border formed by a meandering conventional scroll in low relief. In the center of the ceiling there is a gilded centerpiece. On the ceiling of the bay window there is an ornamental panel containing a foliated design. c. Enclosed porch: This extends beyond the east wall of /VEV- 17- HEIRX MAEVIH YERIKGTON HOUSE HABS Ho. MEV-13-18 Page 10 the southeast room, connecting -with it through a door south of the fireplace. The porch is shallow, and in character- resembles a large hay window.

Along its east wall there is a group of six arched windows resembling windows on fine railway cars of the period, (According to Moreen Humphreys, their measurements are identical). At the south end there are two similar windows. Walls above a low dado rail are faced with horizontal matched and beaded boards. The chimney projects into this area and is faced with matched headed boards; at each side there are small shelves. The ceiling is of matched and beaded boards. All woodwork in this room is now painted white, except for natural bamboo grilles at the head of each window. d. Stair hall: Door trim is similar to that in the rooms described above. Above the base there is a wainscot ornamented by a low-relief geometrical interlacing pattern in red, black and yellow.

There is a frieze containing a rinceau of mixed style, somewhat Moorish, in relief; it is predominately brown. The ceiling has a wide painted ornamental border of the same color. e. Worth Room: This area, apparently two rooms of equal size originally, is now a single long room used as an office. The room had reached its present state by however. It has two windows on the east ends two large bay windows on the north side, and a fireplace centered on the west end, A wooden screen divides the room into two equal areas. It has the form of a segmental arch (of low rise) supported on two columns and pilaster responds. The head of this opening consists of two carved planks, with a space between them, the carved faces facing the halves of the room, respectively.

The wood is Philippine mahogany in its natural color. The carving design is a symmetrical foliated scroll, rather bold in scale. Each column has a tall capital with an abacus, below which are acanthus leaves; midway up the shafts there is a moulded band. These columns rest on pedestals. The pilasters are fluted, with plain capitals moulded to an S-profile. Columns and pilasters are also finished natural color. There is a high moulded wooden base. Around the openings there is architrave trim. One. old fomvpanel door remains, with a porcelain knob; two others, with five horizontal NEV- . n- HEMY MARVIN YERINGTOH HOUSE HABS Mo. NEV-13-18 Page 11 panels, are of - a later date. There is paneling in the "bay window recesses, above and below the openings.

These windows are similar to those, in the enclosed porch, and have "bamboo grilles in the heads. The room cornice is wood, consisting of a flat cove "between moulded bands. . Below it there is a frieze about one foot wide, ornamented with a complex scroll motive in low relief, yellow on a brown background. The walls are covered with a low-relief ornamental pattern of conventional foliated character, whose princi- pal lines are undulating verticals. This is yellow on a green background; the colors appear to be original. The material is some kind of a composition. The western half of the room has a wainscot, containing a somewhat naturalistic floral pattern in low relief: dull gold against dull green.

Its lower border is formed by an interlace, band, and at the top there is a band of overlapping rosettes. The fireplace is comparable to those designed hy Eastlake; it has an overmantel with bracketed shelves and coved hood. The hearth is. of ceramic tiles with a floral border; plain tiles alternate with ornamental ones. The colors are brown, dark green, light yellow and dull red. The fireplace opening has a border of diamond-shaped orna- mental tiles on a background of plain triangular units. At each side there is a small colonnette with an elaborate base and a crocket capital. A bracket above each colon- nette supports the mantel shelf, whose bed moulding is an ovolo in which sections of greater and lesser diameter alternate.

A frieze between the opening and the shelf contains a panel in the form of a segment of a circle. This panel and the colonnettes are made of wood whose grain contains burls; the remainder of the fireplace wood- work is pine, stained and varnished. In the overmantel there is a rectangular mirror with beveled edges, at each side of which there are shelves. The coved hood is orna- mented with a pattern in low relief: two sizes of rosettes alternating. At the top there is a small railing. All woodwork of the overmantel is dark brown. Moulded trim at the corners of the bay-window openings was cut off near the top.at some early date, and mahogany capitals inserted. These have the profile of a. cyma reversa above a bead, and are covered with carved ornament.

It- HENRI MARVIN YERINGTON HOUSE HABS No. NEV-13-18 Page 12 In the ceiling there are two plaster centerpieces. Traces of relief ornament can be seen in some places along the ceiling, comparable to that on the walls. There are four wall-bracket electric lighting fixtures, each double. f. Miscellaneous finish: Corridors in the western part of the house have high wainscoting of matched and beaded boards, visible in places beneath a later covering. There is a plain base. The second-floor rooms have dwarf side walls and cove plaster ceilings. Doors have four moulded panels and porcelain knobs; the trim is plain. In the hall there is a wainscot of five-inch vertical matched and beaded boards, visible in places beneath a later covering. There is a plain base.

In the ceiling of the hall there is an unusual opening: a glazed window-ventilator, hinged with a counterweight and pulley. D. Site and Surroundings: This lot is at the southwest corner of North Division Street, to which the building faces, and West Robinson Street. The terrain is level. Most of the lot is occupied by the building. Preapred by: Harley J. McKee Supervisory Architect National Park Service August 18, (date of visit) PART III. Project Information These records are part of the documentation made during the latter half of and the summer of in a project undertaken by the Historic American Buildings Survey in cooperation with the Nevada State Park System to record structures in Carson City and nearby areas.

The project was under the general supervision of John Poppeliers, Chief, Historic American Buildings Survey. Eric R. Cronkhite, Administrator, Nevada State Park System, and Marshall Humphreys of the Nevada Land- marks Society assisted the HABS recorders in Nevada. Professor Harley J. McKee, Supervisory Architect, National Park Service, selected the subjects and provided architectural data for the sixteen Carson City structures which were recorded. Historical documentation for these buildings was pre- pared by S. Allen Chambers, Architectural Historian, Historic American Buildings Survey. Project Supervisor for the Nevada Summer Team, HENRY MARVIN YERINGTOK HOUSE HABS No. NEV-13-18 Page 13 which produced the measured drawings, was Robert L. Hartwig of Harvard University.

Student assistant architects were John T. M. Creery (University of Utah), Robert P. Mizell (University of Florida), and Jack W. Schafer (University of Cincinatti). Photographs were made by Aaron A. Gallup of Sacramento, California.