9403-03 Establishing a Historical Landmark - 1114 Lincolnway West

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THE SECOR HOUSE 1114 LINCOLN WAY WEST HISTORICAL CONTEXT HISTORICAL CONTEXT Our records show that the Secor family, well to do early residents of St. Joseph County, built this house in 1903. At the time, there were perhaps half a dozen homes on Lincoln Way, mostly built in the late 1880s. The Secor home was one of at just two or three magnificent Queen Anne style houses built on Lincoln Way in 1903, the other two being the Prast House, at 901 Lincoln Way West (next to another Prast family house at 905 Lincoln Way, built the previous year). The following few years, there were at least two dozen elegant Queen Ann style homes built on Lincoln Way. Of these, only one has as high an architectural rating as 1114 Lincoln Way West. This is partly because the Secor home was originally larger and finer than some of the others, and partly because it retains more of its original features than some of the others, some of them having been significantly altered in recent decades. The Secor House, like many of the homes built on Lincoln Way West in the 20`" century, was oriented so that it did not directly face the road, but was turned at at angle, so that the face of the house, rather than the side, was visible to oncoming traffic. ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION This is a two and a half story Queen Ann style house. The floor plan is essentially rectangular, with large porches extending front and back. The classical-inspired pillars on the large front porch are especially interesting. South Bend has a number of Queen Ann or American Free Classic houses that incorporate classical features, differing from Queen Anne houses in most of the country, which tended toward the Gothic Revival, romantic and ornate detail. This house also has narrow wooden clapboard siding, fish scale shingles in the gables, and decorative trim. Similarly the box returns on the gables, and the dormer pediment are once again highly characteristic of this period's architecture. The first story windows have molded entablatures, there is a pent roof over the side entrance with arc-shaped brackets, and an arched window with decorative keystone in the attic. RECOMMENDATION This site and structure should be recommended to the Common Council for designation as a Local Landmark. It meets two criteria: 1) Its embodiment of elements of architectural design, detail, material, or craftsmanship which represent an architectural characteristic or innovation; 2) Its suitability for preservation; 3) Its identification with the life of a person or persons of historical significance.