Feb 24, 1992
William and Caroline Gibbs House - National Register of Historic Places
Statement of Significance: The Gibbs House meets Criterion C for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. It is architecturally significant as a fin e example of a Foursquare with art s and craft s ornamentation and excellent integrity. In many ways, the Gibbs House is a very typical example of a Foursquare. Like most of them it stands two stories on a raise d basement and i s capped by a pyramidal roof with a central front dormer. Gone are any gables or turret s or picturesque reminiscences commonly found in 19th Century architecture. Like many examples it has three, not four, columns across the front. Although the door is not centrally located and the windows are -not S3mmietrically placed, the fundamental visual effect is balanced and S5niimetrical. In addition, its broad overhangs and soli d looking square pier s give the house the feeling of massiveness and solidity that characteristically lends the Foursquare a feeling of importance. The fairly open plan, with wide openings separating rooms quite similar in size, is also typical. Although Foursquares demonstrated a wide range of stylistic influences, this one shows the influence of the Craftsman movement in many respects. Honesty of materials--which are allowed to display their inherent color and texture--and honesty of structure are major characteristic s of the movement. Wood tri m on the house clearly is recognizable as oak; al l joining s are clearly articulated. Geometry, not history, is the keynote of design. In place of highly ornamented surfaces and complicated designs are flat surfaces and clean lines. The utilitarianism that was beginning to characterize 20th Century residential architecture is evident in several features of this house. The efficient floor plan is thought out so that the homemaker can reach the front door easily from the kitchen without ever having to go through the living room in this servant less house. In addition, the family can go down to the kitchen or the front entrance from the central stairway; there is no need for two sets of stairs. Detail s were designed to meet the needs of efficiency. With a built-in China cabinet and buffet in the dining room, storage is dust free and serving is simplified. The reduced size of this Foursquare, its simplified Craftsman design and its straightforward functionalism are evident in its preservation. The excellent integrity of this home's characteristic historic feature s makes it one of the fines t examples of a Foursquare in Maywood.
William and Caroline Gibbs House - National Register of Historic Places
Statement of Significance: The Gibbs House meets Criterion C for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. It is architecturally significant as a fin e example of a Foursquare with art s and craft s ornamentation and excellent integrity. In many ways, the Gibbs House is a very typical example of a Foursquare. Like most of them it stands two stories on a raise d basement and i s capped by a pyramidal roof with a central front dormer. Gone are any gables or turret s or picturesque reminiscences commonly found in 19th Century architecture. Like many examples it has three, not four, columns across the front. Although the door is not centrally located and the windows are -not S3mmietrically placed, the fundamental visual effect is balanced and S5niimetrical. In addition, its broad overhangs and soli d looking square pier s give the house the feeling of massiveness and solidity that characteristically lends the Foursquare a feeling of importance. The fairly open plan, with wide openings separating rooms quite similar in size, is also typical. Although Foursquares demonstrated a wide range of stylistic influences, this one shows the influence of the Craftsman movement in many respects. Honesty of materials--which are allowed to display their inherent color and texture--and honesty of structure are major characteristic s of the movement. Wood tri m on the house clearly is recognizable as oak; al l joining s are clearly articulated. Geometry, not history, is the keynote of design. In place of highly ornamented surfaces and complicated designs are flat surfaces and clean lines. The utilitarianism that was beginning to characterize 20th Century residential architecture is evident in several features of this house. The efficient floor plan is thought out so that the homemaker can reach the front door easily from the kitchen without ever having to go through the living room in this servant less house. In addition, the family can go down to the kitchen or the front entrance from the central stairway; there is no need for two sets of stairs. Detail s were designed to meet the needs of efficiency. With a built-in China cabinet and buffet in the dining room, storage is dust free and serving is simplified. The reduced size of this Foursquare, its simplified Craftsman design and its straightforward functionalism are evident in its preservation. The excellent integrity of this home's characteristic historic feature s makes it one of the fines t examples of a Foursquare in Maywood.
Feb 24, 1992
Posted Date
Mar 31, 2022
Historical Record Date
Feb 24, 1992
Source Name
United States Department of Interior - National Park Service
