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Houses of the Heartland an Album of Architects by Woody Minor

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Houses of the Heartland an Album of Architects by Woody Minor I S S U E N umber 3 • OCTOBER 2018 hOUSES OF THE HEARTLaND an album of architects by Woody Minor his year’s aLaMeDa TLeGaCy hOMe tOur on September 23 pulled back the curtains on six homes in neighborhoods at the island’s center, showcasing Alameda architecture from the heyday of the commuter trains. Houses spread to the heartland with the advent of the railroads, replacing native oaks with imported styles. The first consolidat- ed train and ferry line opened during the Civil War, soon to be joined by a second. These steam-driven transit systems transformed what had been a Gold Rush farming community into a bustling suburb of San Francisco. Three of the homes are located in the Gold Coast, the era’s elite neigh- borhood, replete with the mansions of San Francisco businessmen. Two date from the 1890s, displaying different Greenleaf residence, 1724 Santa Clara Avenue, 1891. Ernest Coxhead, architect. Image: J.C. Newsom, Modern Homes, 1893. Courtesy Paul T. Roberts. takes on Colonial Revival—the dwellings of attorney Robert B. Mitchell, including once-impressive rows on The 1893 Queen Anne cottage at 1221 Sherman Street (1896-97), and Santa Clara Avenue. The shingled 934 Santa Clara was the home of San tobacco executive Daniel Bruton, landmark at 1724 Santa Clara, built Francisco bookkeeper Leon B. Thomas. 1240 St. Charles Street (1897). Last to in 1891 for retired druggist David be built was the half-timbered Arts A Bevy of Builders Greenleaf, is a rare survivor. Two and Crafts house at 1232 Bay Street, others were the product of design-and- These six houses were built in two commissioned in 1909 by investment build firms responsible for scores of traditional ways. One method treated broker George L. Walker. houses across the city. The 1885 Stick design and construction as separate The remaining homes are in other Eastlake cottage of Mary Ingerson, functions. The client hired an architect midtown neighborhoods that grew widow of a San Francisco physician, to produce plans and specifications in tandem with the commuter trains, went up at 1901 Alameda Avenue. Continued on page 2 . A lameda M useum Q uarterly • I ssue NUMBER 3 • OCTOBER 2018 Heartland . .Continued from page 1 which served as the basis for awarding a competitive contract. The Greenleaf, Mitchell, and Walker residences were all built in this way—the first by San Francisco contractor Joseph Norris, the second by Oakland contractor Charles E. Nichols, the last by the Alameda firm of Delanoy & Randlett. The other method combined design and construction under a single con- tract. This was the approach taken for the Ingerson, Thomas, and Bruton houses, the respective work of three of the city’s leading design-and-build firms—A.C. Gilbert & Co., Marcuse & Remmel, and Denis Straub & Son. Walker residence, 1232 Bay Street, 1909-10. Julia Morgan, architect. The locally based builders all Image: Alameda, California. Sunset Magazine Homeseekers Bureau, 1911. arrived with the railroads. The pioneer in this regard was Denis Straub (1822- 1899), a German immigrant who ers arrived during the second The Real Estate Associates, and the settled in Alameda by 1866. He later railroad boom in the 1870s. Felix same approach was adopted by A.W. took on his stepson as a partner and Marcuse (1847-1925) and Julius Remmel Pattiani, A.R. Denke, Joseph A. Leonard, by the end of his career was the city’s (1855-1913) also had German roots, and others. Bay Station builders oldest active builder. Most of the oth- one a native of Berlin the other a son Marcuse & Remmel took the practice of Bavarian immigrants, and both to new levels in the 1890s, producing had other careers before they became in excess of 500 houses in Alameda, builders. Adam C. Gilbert (1832-1907), Oakland, Berkeley, San Francisco, Fred N. Delanoy (1849-1927), and and elsewhere. Like Gilbert, however, Edwin A. Randlett (1853-1930) were they couldn’t keep pace with their natives of New England. creditors and finally went bankrupt Gilbert was the first to bundle in 1900. Delanoy & Randlett, founded real estate, insurance, design, and the following year by two veteran construction in a single enterprise, builders, became known for stylish making him the city’s first large-scale homes in upscale districts. In addition homebuilder. He moved across the to design-and-build contracts, they bid bay after a stint in San Francisco real on outside jobs of which the Walker estate, putting up his first house here residence is a prime example. in 1878. His crews went on to erect An Album of Architects dozens more, but it finally proved too When we turn to design two categories much to manage. “The failure of are apparent. On one hand we have A.C. Gilbert is the all-absorbing mainstream houses in standard topic,” the Alameda Argus reported styles, accounting for the bulk of the early in 1885. “He ought to have made built environment; on the other, rare money. Instead he seems to be some specimens by advanced architects thirty odd thousand dollars worse defying easy categorization. Buildings off than nothing.” The unfinished in the first category are often grouped Ingerson contract was completed by under style names based on age and Charles S. Shaner, a former Gilbert appearance. Thus 1901 Alameda has carpenter who went on to a successful the characteristic square bays and career as an architect. pierced bargeboards of the 1880s Stick Gilbert’s business model emulated leading San Francisco developers like Continued on page 3. 32 A lameda M useum Q uarterly • I ssue NUMBER 3 • OCTOBER 2018 Heartland . .Continued from page 2 native of Maine, Joseph H. Littlefield William H. Armitage (1861-1944), (1831-1904) began his career as a and Bert E. Remmel (1872-1927), but Eastlake style, while 934 Santa Clara designer-builder in Cambridge, Mass. we have little idea which employee displays the slanted bays and ornate He came to California via Colorado in produced which design in the firm’s appliqué of 1890s Queen Anne. The the mid-1880s, taking up residence rapidly evolving output. larger houses at 1221 Sherman and in the Palace Hotel and advertising 1240 St. Charles show different sides Alameda’s abiding conservative himself solely as an architect. Littlefield of turn-of-the-century Colonial nature made it a showcase of main- catered to society clients like Mitchell, Revival, one a neoclassical box the stream architecture of the rail era, but and the bold massing and confident other a less formal hybrid retaining Continued on page 4. décor of the Alameda mansion have Queen Anne traits. a big-city feel. 1240 St. Charles (1897) was the Questions mount with the larger work of Alameda native Fred P. Fischer design-and-build firms. Who designed (1862-1951), who began as his their houses? In Gilbert’s case stepfather’s apprentice and became two names crop up. Seth Babson his partner in 1886. Like most 19th- (1826-1907), a pioneer architect and century builders Straub knew how to recent resident, designed several design and he tutored Fischer in the early houses built by the firm under art. The young man played a dual role contract; he may also have provided in the firm supervising construction services for design-and-build jobs. and overseeing design (aside from Gilbert & Co seems to have relied outside contracts for buildings by on the talents of its junior partner, other architects). His conservative engineer-turned-architect Frederick A. approach, a trait common to locally Ingersoll (1853-1903). “Mr. Ingersoll’s based architects, is clearly seen in the work is scattered throughout the city, Bruton residence. The design clung in the plans of the later and hand- to precedent even though a new style somer structures erected by Gilbert,” was then in vogue. the Argus noted helpfully, though This wasn’t the case with 1221 one wishes the writer had been more Sherman (1896), a house where Richly finished in wood and plaster, the specific. Marcuse & Remmel had a façade of 934 Santa Clara features three Colonial Revival is on full display drafting department which included gables with abstract applique; the uppermost with scant trace of Queen Anne. Like at various times Arthur Stenbiht caps an arched attic window framed by many other early specimens it was the (1867-1922), James W. Johnston sunbursts. The delicate floral plasterwork in work of a San Francisco architect. A the bay transom is unlike anything else in (1857-?), Fred G. Cary (1868-1955), town. Image: David Bock. 1221 Sherman ranks among the city's largest Four-square massing, hip roof, and classical Square bays, perforated bargeboards, houses. A neoclassical block embellished trim are characteristic Colonial Revival and fretwork porch are characteristic Stick with cornice, frieze, and pilasters, the design features at 1240 St. Charles; the gabled Eastlake features, as are the brackets and displays Colonial Revival at its most formal. dormers and floor plan are Queen Anne in batten frieze still visible at the rear of 1901 Image: David Bock. spirit. Image: Valerie Turpen. Alameda. Image: David Bock. 3 A lameda M useum Q uarterly • I ssue NUMBER 3 • OCTOBER 2018 Heartland . .Continued from page 3 Julia Morgan (1872-1957) carried right wood construction, the polarities on the legacy of the pathfinders. of her vision. it was less open to advanced designers Born in San Francisco, raised in like Bernard Maybeck (1862-1957) Morgan had a lifelong association Oakland and educated at Berkeley, and Willis Polk (1867-1924). Maybeck with Alameda, frequenting the bathing this consummate professional was produced nothing here, Polk one small resorts as a child, and the town’s a quintessential Bay Area architect.
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