K-12 River House (Smyth-Letherbury House, Denton-Weeks House) Architectural Survey File This is the architectural survey file for this MIHP record. The survey file is organized reverse- chronological (that is, with the latest material on top). It contains all MIHP inventory forms, National Register nomination forms, determinations of eligibility (DOE) forms, and accompanying documentation such as photographs and maps. Users should be aware that additional undigitized material about this property may be found in on-site architectural reports, copies of HABS/HAER or other documentation, drawings, and the “vertical files” at the MHT Library in Crownsville. The vertical files may include newspaper clippings, field notes, draft versions of forms and architectural reports, photographs, maps, and drawings. Researchers who need a thorough understanding of this property should plan to visit the MHT Library as part of their research project; look at the MHT web site (mht.maryland.gov) for details about how to make an appointment. All material is property of the Maryland Historical Trust. Last Updated: 05-14-2004 fc"r 10-300 Ut<'1 1 ED ST A 1 E 5 DEPA P. <MEN T 0 F THE 'N 1 ER I 0 R .. r Jul 1 1969) ~A Tl'.)'<AL Pt.R~ SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM (Type:;,// cn/rlf.:s - cumplete applicablt> sC:ctions) -~ ------------------ 11. NAME j C ::cv.,..ON· l Denton House I~ er:~~: 0 R~C- -- -- ----- 1 ___ penton-1·;eeks House or River House Smyth-Letherbury House I ~CATION ~~-- ---- 1 ~ 1 r:; £ E i t.. t...; 7"" t.i lJ ,,_.. f:: E R; l__l__ Q_I_ \;.§ t ~!:_§_tree t I ! CITY GF TC•·,....,: CCDE V'l ~, z I -- Oisttict Pu!ilic I _, ~ Sui !ding :.:x 0 .. ' ·n··· ""'' Pri..,cte '"''·:;":"::::::. -ilg Site I· Strvcture I:::J ~::::'.:'... I::;.~.~.~:."' - ! Objec• 1-1 Bo•h ~ Sei,,g Considered Z. p,eser..,..c11cn -erk C Unrestricted 1 I- ~ No l------------~------~--------I _J__ ________________l~--·-n_p_•_o_g_'_:~~ u ______.,.... u ~--- ------------ - -~·-~ ---------- - - ------------ :::> (, c-. errrnent a:: Pri"ote Re~i-dence 3r Other (Specify) ____,-=_· ''"'''"'' j =Educot1:::rol 11.i I, tory __I Religious -----~T_·_o_~_·_p_o_·_·o_·_·_o_ntenanb=>d I -..,, \= Er.ier,c1~-en1 1 M •.:seurr 2 Scientific _ z 1;1. owr~ER0F"-F"20PE"Rn-- l ::;\·,r .. E F-... ~ :,, ,:...•."£ ::s: .. llJ > :State of Maryland, Maryland Historical Trust Ii ... --------------------------~ w ,~11=<E.E"7 L.~::; t"L.~~EE:P· r 1~ "' w 1 Post Office Box 1704 V'I "TC.-.•.:· ~E- CODE l [ __J.=11na!2_~~~~-- _________ H • jMaryland 24 , 1 L5-~~c~~~-~~:~,~F~~:-~~;,o;~~J:1:~!?~ic-,-------------- ---------------...;__\ ~ I i ol 1 Kent County Courthouse_________ ~ ~i jsTqr::ET L".,':_ ?.;U"-"'UEF=..: !:::::l ~r : Courthouse ~CJ.re _ _________ _ _ rT · i js1a1E CODE l· I i Chestertown ii Maryland 24 , l~~~EE!:~~:~~~N IN EXISTING SURVEYS -----------nTl ! National Historical Landmark ______'_·_:~I ~l 8 c.:...,.E o~ 5·-·=vE". 197 ('\ V Federal --., S•ate . County , local ' i"'i J ~------""'"'-----------------------~' 1':·z~I .· ::iE~OSITCF<" FC;i:;: 5U~V£Y RECOB.DS: :::- ! § i ~! r\ational Historic ~andrnarks Proaram :: ;;; I I . ""I : u. s. De-::.artment of the Interior, Neitjona_l Park Service 101 I c T .... 0 ~ - :, "·~.I 1 Js~·."-C .-------- - '-'-~F-\ ~Ji T•~ashi:r.sto~-- ______ _ L_j j__ _ •• '[:J ~-,_-- ; c. ~:: c ~ : - •t. E t~ - O F -; ~ : · '• """." ~ P I :JR ., c' .. " '. 9 L:; =A::,.., ~E ;,.., f"I:::: ;.:an·:: anc _J I ~-~. 'T .~ t< A T I 0 N A L R E ':. - : ?. O F H I ST G i". IC P L AC E ~ I J:ent ________ _ IN 'Y ~ ··-:-::.;.. ~ • N CW. It~ t... TI~;~ F 0 RM f--_ ,~ :;~s~;~~-°''+\-~;J - -----·-- ---- -- ---- ---l (,"'._~r..ter ittll ct,fric-6) l I I :..::,nton House I i I 1~6. REPRES!::KT.L.TION r:; ::..1.:::: STING Sl.J?.\7EYS continued I Maryland Pegiste!" historic sites and landmarks I 1970 State Maryland Histori~al Trust I Post Office Box 1704 Annapolis, Maryl2nd 21404 code: 24 I Historic .P~"Tierican Building Survey 1969 Federal Library of Congress Washington, D. c. code: 11 >. I I I I '---- - ------------ -~__J (l of 4 continuation sheets) !-:HT .K-12 [?_:_ DE5CR~Ti_o~ - -- 1- - - - --_- ------- - --~C.~~:i.-o-::;;--- ------ 1 ! COND11 ION f c::__ __E:.:_~ ~- - - -~-~o~d __ ;J~~'-' _g_?••<roo·_:•~~-. _L}~~--~~n<xpo'=~ _ , I (C/,.·,kOnr) ---T (Cl.tckOne) ! __ J _____ A~•:••d____ ----~--Uno~~~__J- n Mc·ed K'. Ongonal Site 1:::ESCRlbE THE f:.J;ESENT LNO QJ..1IGl"'AL (ii J..nown) t::HYS1CAL APPEAR'ANCE ------t I Located within the area designated as a National Historic ' Landmark in Chestertown, the Denton House is on the southeast I side of Kater Street between Maple Avenue. and High Street. I The house, under restoration, will be more easily under- 1 stood described as it will appear. 1 The existing five-bay long street facade is unique in Ches~ertown. It stands three full stories above a high baseffient, separated by a painted, molded stone ~ater table. The Flemish bond brickwork has a very narrow, convex, white mortar joint. Each window of the basement, first floor, and second floor is accentuated by a rusticated, painted stone, flat-arch with keystone. On the first and second stories, the window lintel keystones are double, and the central window keystone of the second story is molded and carved. Between rn the first and second stories is a plain belt course of stone, painted white. m Woo~ steps will ascend one flight to the central entrance,! z similar to t~e stoop design of the James Brice House, Annapolis~ Both the entrance door and reveals are paneled with molded I raised panels and are flanked by. plain Doric pilasters which 1 will support a full pediment. The outline of the original j pediment ~as revealed when the nineteenth-century porch was ! removed, thereby enabling an exact replica to be constructed. ; I I I Brick pilasters at the corners of the facade rise three I full stories from the water table up to the cornice and are 0 a feature of the facade. A less developed prototy~e is found at the headquarters building of the Kent County Historical z: Society on Church Alley, Chestertown. A rosette carved in a square panel is recessed in a stone block, between the· capital·of each pilaster and the main cornice. The cornice is a simplification of a Corinthian design with the modillions and plancers (the soffit of a cornice) carved above the capitals only; the carved plancers repeat the design of the rosettes below. On the river facade, the basement is at ground level, creating a full story. The Flemish bond brickwork is similar to that used on the street (west) facade. A nineteenth­ century photograph shows the design of a two-story porch ~hich· will be reconstructed. Brick piers will support the wood porch, supported by square columns from the first to the second floor and round columns from the second floor to the roof, a modified continuation of the main roof. A simple balustrade will extend between columns at both levels. () I SEE CONTINUATION SHEET L _________ -- -------- EHT l~-12 ro•m 10-3000 ur111EG STATE~ DEPART'-'.ENT OF THE INTERIOR '.J~ly 19l9) l·A11011AL PJ.RK SERVICE t:~:yland ~l NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES cour'" 1" ____________ Kent INV EN TORY - NOf..~INA TIOI~ FORM -~-·------------~ FOR NPS USE ONLY --E t~-1 _R'_'_' u_,,~ ~;Fe-_-_-_-, D ~-;~ - (Con~in:;ation Sheet) ------- ---------- ~---------J ___ _ r Denton House i I #7. DESCRIPTION continued I l '; Doors to the interior from each porch level will be located i in the central bays. The ground level porch has a wide, diamond f chevron, batten door with original long iron strap hinges. The gable-ends were originally without openings except for a door at the basement level on the southeast; and two casement windows flanking the chimney in each end of the attic. Mt. Pleasant, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania~ has a first-floor plan with a central passage flanked by a single large room on the north and a smaller room and stairhall at the south ends. Each room is treated simply, having panele~, recessed interior l· shutters, a chair-rail, dentil cornice and plaster "alls. One original mantel repeats the dentil mold of the cornice. An i elliptical ~rch separates the stair from the passage of the t first and of the second stories, although the staircase extends to the at.tic. More elaborate rooms are located on the second story. Paneling from the "Chestertown Room'!. now installed in the Winterthur Museum, was originally in the northeast ioorn. The precedent for its intricate design has been compared with de­ signs in William Pain'fi The Practical Builder (1744) in a re­ port "The Chestertown Room at Winterthur" by John Snyder, Jr., a Winterthur Fellow. The two remaining rooms retain paneled fireplace walls and dado, reflecting the transition between the earlier Georgian and the Federal designs. : One original raised-panel wall remains on the third story in the southwest room; and a mantel with Chinese fretwork remains in the northeast room. Three small rooms with beaded board partitions were originally located in the three bays of the northeast (entrance)facade. The latter arrangement was also found off the kitchen in the basement. When restored, the basement will contain kitchen, dining and utility areas. The upper stories will be used as reception rooms and sleeping quarters. - ---------------------------- (2 of 4 continuation sheets) \ \ Kt.fT K-12 E- SIGNJFIC.1-.NC~- -------------------- - -------·----------------------- ' lJ l61h Cenlu•y '.J{ l81h Cenlury OC 701h (en!ur y f I ~ 15th Century 0 17th Century ~J l91h ~er.!ury j SP[Cl:FIC :.:..t..TE'S1 (l/Aµplicnblr andl\nown) t c.