If your house could talk, what secrets would it tell?
Liverpool Village Historian Dorianne Elitharp Gutierrez and retired architect Jennifer Gruenberg want to know. The two women are compiling an “Atlas of Historic Liverpool Structures.”
“People love to talk about their houses,” Gruenberg noted. “There are always stories to tell about the people who lived there — parents, grandparents, children.” Gruenberg, who lives in the village on Sixth Street, previously resided in a 19th century
Queen Anne-style mansion on Second Street. When she was a working architect, she specialized in residential projects across Central New York. While the atlas will focus on homes and other buildings with historical significance, “we’re also looking for human interest,” Gutierrez said. A couple of village houses which have already made the cut are the old Sargent home at 710 First St. The Colonial Revival style house was designed and built in 1938 by its initial resident, D. Kenneth Sargent, a prominent area architect of the day. He was a partner in the Syracuse firm Sargent, Webster, Crenshaw & Folley. Colonial Revival houses are typically two stories with the ridge pole running parallel to the street, have a symmetrical front facade with an accented doorway and evenly spaced windows on either side. Features borrowed from colonial architecture of the early 19th century include elaborate front doors, often with decorative crown fanlights and sidelights, symmetrical windows flanking the front entrance often in pairs or threes and columned porches. One of the village’s most historic structures stands at 201 Sycamore St. The Greek Revival house, embellished with a modern cupola, was originally owned by James Duell who was involved in the village’s thriving salt business when this home was built in 1830. “That’s certainly one of the oldest houses in the village,” Gutierrez said.
Greek Revival-style buildings are characterized by heavily molded cornice work on the eaves and pilasters — flat, rectangular supports which resemble columns but which protrude only slightly from the wall. “If anyone in the village has a story they want to share with us about their home,” Gruenberg suggested, “please contact us at [email protected]. Old pictures showing the house would be helpful.” Once completed, the atlas will be available at the village historian’s office and the Liverpool Public Library. The village historian’s office at the Gleason Mansion, 314 Second St., is open twice weekly, from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday and from noon to 4 p.m. on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month. By the way, the 1858 Gleason Mansion, an Italianate style building constructed of brick covered by stucco, is listed on the state and national Registers of Historic Places.