Charles J. & Fannie L. Bowlus House, 1261 South Fountain Avenue, Springfield

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS OHIO,12-SPRIF,7-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

This house is significant as an example of Queen Anne styling with Colonial Revival style influence that retains a fairly high degree of integrity, except for its deteriorated condition and altered front porch. It is a contributing element of the historic streetscape along S. Fountain Ave. Of particular interest are the front and side attic gables with modillioned cornices and large semi-elliptical attic windows. Description: The Bowlus House is a rectangular building measuring about that has a pair of semi-octagonal slightly projecting side bays with cantilevered second floors capped by attic pediments with returns and semi-elliptical attic windows. The main truncated hipped roof is accented by a fully articulated triangular pediment, also with semi-elliptical window.

Extending back from the main section is a gabled two-story rear wing with a pair of attic windows, three second floor windows and a full-width enclosed rear porch with hipped roof In front a massive Colonial Revival style porch wraps around one side of the house and contains two front doorways. While most of its cornice has been boarded over, the curving section at its northeast comer reveals large modillion blocks and a broad frieze set below what was probably a crown molding (now missing). The porch's low-pitched hipped roof is supported by massive full-length Tuscan columns. In front, two broad second floor windows flank what appears to be an oval center window, probably for a closet. Clapboard siding accented by unusually broad comer boards accents the exterior.

There is a massive center chimney plus a rear chimney. History: In a permit was taken out to connect this house to the city water system in the name of Fannie L. Bowlus. The Colonial Revival character of the front elevation and its porch suggests that the house was probably extensively remodeled and enlarged sometime after the tum of the century, probably by the Bowlus family, who lived here apparently until at least according to the city directories. Charles J. Bowlus, who also lived here, was vice president of the Ridgely Trimmer Company and also associated with Bowlus and Hackett Fruit Company. He was also listed in the directory as a salesman. From the early until the early the Skipworth family lived here. By the mid-1950s, the house had been divided into two apartments.

It has had a variety of occupants in recent years.

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS OHIO,12-SPRIF,7-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

and later Springfield city directories, Ohio Historic Inventory form, The building stands within the South Fountain Avenue Historic District, which has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Copies of the National Register nomination are at the Springfield Department of Planning and Development and the Ohio Historic Preservation Office.