517-519 South Lowry Street (house), Springfield

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS OHIO,12-SPRIF,33-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

This house is significant as an early example of Italianate style residential housing stock in the city. It retains its basic form and is distinguished by its long and elegant two-over- two windows and T-shaped plan. It appears to be one of the older houses in this neighborhood and apparently was expanded early in its history into a two-family residence. Description: This house is a two-story frame building, basically rectangular in plan, but with projections that give it a slightly cross-shaped configuration. Its rectangular windows have wood two-over-two double-hung sash and are accented with simple peaked hood moldings. The full- width front porch wraps around one side of the house and has a pedimented entry at one side.

This pedimented entry and wrap-around section appear to be early turn of the century additions, as the other half of the porch has hoop-like wood brackets and chamfered porch posts which are more in keeping with its original Italianate styling. There are two separate front doors on this porch, suggesting this has side-by-side units. Both front windows on the first floor appear to have been broadened. A third front door is at the end of the wrap-around porch section, facing the street on the narrow projection of the side wing. Two chimneys appear on either side of the center of the massive hipped roof.

Its overhanging eaves perhaps once had decorative brackets but these were probably stripped away when the exterior of this frame building was covered with asbestos shingle siding some time ago. The rear of the house has a series of add-on wings with lean-to roofs, one and two stories in height. There are two rear doors and a second floor stoop. The house strands on a relatively small urban lot surrounded by other old houses. It sands very close to the front sidewalk and is bordered by two small side alleys. History: This building was probably constructed in the judging from its styling and materials. By the first year of the city directory's street index, this had already been converted into a double residence. 517 S. Lowry was occupied by Thomas F.

Bean, who lived here with his wife Martha until He worked as a gold stamper. In Herman A. and Annie Flick lived here, but the following year through Bean and his wife were again at this address, but this time he was listed as a stock keeper. With some interruptions, this was home to the William C. Lyons family from It has been vacant since The other half, 519 S. Lowry, was home to Kate A. Leatherman, a widow, from From this was home to William C. Lyons furnished rooms, suggesting that Lyons let out both halves of the house for this purpose. From this half was listed as four apartments, each with separate occupant listed. It has been vacant since

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS OHIO,12-SPRIF,33-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

and later Springfield city directories. The building stands within the African- American Historic District, which has been determined eligible by the Ohio State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Copies of information used to make this determination of eligibility for National Register status are at the Springfield Department of Planning and Development and the Ohio Historic Preservation Office.