Historical Landmark - 1003 E. Washington

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1003 E. WASHINGTON HISTORICAL CONTEXT Chauncey Fassett built this Ennis Austin designed, Queen Anne/Shingle style house in 1898. Fassett's parents came to South Bend from New York in the late 1830's and opened a dry goods store. Chauncey was born in July of 1849 and shortly afterwards the family left to join the California gold rush. The family returned to Indiana and settled in Goshen in 1863. After graduating from public school and spending some time studying law Chauncey became a reporter for the South Bend Union, which was owned by his brother, Herbert. He married Anna Thrush in 1877 and had one daughter. In 1878 he became secretary of The Register, which was bought by the Tribune in 1887. Mr. Fassett started the South Bend News, a weekly paper published on Sunday. The News merged with the South Bend Times and Chauncey served as editor and feature writer for the News-Times for many years. In 1916 he joined the staff of the South Bend Tribune and became known as the dean of active newspapermen of Northern Indiana. He wrote the popular column called "The Slant", and served as feature writer and associate editor until his death in 1922. Mrs. Fassett continued to reside in this house until 1926 when she moved to the Morningside Hotel, she sold the house to William Warner. Mr. Warner was the secretary/treasurer for the Taggart Freight, Transfer Company. Eventually the house was sold to the current owner, Paul Bolger. ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION This is a two-story Queen Anne/Shingle style house with a rectangular plan, brick foundation and one flush brick chimney with stone cap. The walls are cladded in wood shingles with wood molded stringcourse where peak overhangs second story. It also boasts bell projections throughout. The roofline is a very picturesque cross gable with main roof extending down the side of the front gable forming an apron under the front gable and porch roof. The house has a full size front recessed porch with low wood shingle wall, double Doric wood columns, '/2 fluted wood deck and hanging lanterns. The entry has a single leaf panel door with arched multi-pane % light. The front has multi-pane double casement windows with transom and double hung sash windows with projecting entablature throughout. The alterations to the exterior of the house appear to be the metal storm windows and metal awning over porch. RECOMMENDATION Based on the Historic Preservation Commission's Local Landmark Criteria's adopted by the Common Council, the site and structure at 1534 W. Sample has been recommended to the Common Council for designation as a Local Landmark by the Historic Preservation Commission. The building and site meet three of the criteria: 1) Its embodiment of elements or architectural design, detail, material or craftsmanship which represents an architectural characteristic or innovation; 4