848 Jenifer Street
Madison, WI, USA

Timothy C. and Katherine McCarthy House

The Timothy C. and Katherine McCarthy House is a historic residence located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States, that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.


Description

The house is located at 848 Jenifer Street and is within the Jenifer-Spaight Historic District. It is an example of Queen Anne style architecture.


History

Timothy C. McCarthy was a contractor who took part in the construction of the Wisconsin State Capitol and a number of buildings of the University of Wisconsin–Madison. The house would serve both as his residence and his office. It was added to the state and the national registers of historic places in 2002. Additionally, it is located within the Jenifer-Spaight Historic District.

National Register of Historic Places - Timothy C. and Katherine McCarthy House

Statement of Significance:

The Timothy McCarthy House, built in 1896-1897, is being nominated under National Register Criterion C as it embodies the distinctive characteristics of high style Queen Anne architecture in the free classic subtype. It is an excellent residential example of the teamwork of the master building firm of Mr. Timothy McCarthy and the master architect, Mr. Lew F. Porter of the firm of Conover and Porter during the height of each of their careers and during the height of the popularity of the Queen Anne building style (1880-1910). The Timothy McCarthy house is a significant addition to the extant examples of Queen Anne houses hi Madison because it fully demonstrates the hallmark features of the Queen Anne style in shape and in the decorative details of the free classic subtype in both on the exterior and on the interior. The McCarthy home continues to serve its original function as a single-family residence in the Third Lake neighborhood. The home was constructed as both the home and office of Mr. McCarthy during an important phase of his career in the building trades. The period of significance is 1897. This date corresponds to the of construction date of the residence. McCarthy also played an active role in the local banking industry after retiring from the building trades.

Historical background and significance
The Timothy McCarthy House, begun in 1896 and completed in 1897, is an exceptional example of the teamwork of the master building firm of T. C. McCarthy Contractors and of the master architectural firm of Conover and Porter. Lew Forster Porter is credited with the design for this residence. This Queen Anne high style landmark in the free classic style represents the dominant style of domestic building during the decade of the 1890's and reflects the lifestyle of a very prominent citizen of Madison both on the exterior and on the interior of the home. It has been restored to its original design and incorporates the defining characteristics of its style both in shape and in decorative details. It has a steeply pitched hip roof with a dominant front gable plus side gables. The decorative details of the McCarthy house define it as a free classic subtype. Grouped classical columns are raised on pedestals to the level of the porch railing. Turned balusters are seen both on the first and second floor full width porches. Other defining characteristics are the patterned shingles, cutaway bay windows, the gable and window ornamentation, the cantilevered wall extension, the asymmetrical facades, the use of classical style arches over the recessed and integral porches at both the first and second story levels, the cornice line dentils over the first story porch, and the patterned masonry chimneys. The flaring design of the gables meeting the roof line and the flared skirting at the base of the house give the house an unusual and graceful distinction from other Queen Anne houses. This roofline and baseline design incorporates the popularity of the Japonesque elements seen in the spindle work subtype. The shingled gable wall curving into the gable window is a feature more common to a shingle style Victorian house. Another feature of this Midwestern home which adds distinction is the use of a full double deck front porch. This residence adds an important dimension to the existing body of designs by the Conover and Porter firm and of the Timothy C. McCarthy firm, both of whom are widely recognized in Madison for their commercial and academic buildings.

The Conover-Porter partnership was consolidated for approximately 14 years (1885 -1899), but this association made a significant impact on the architecture of Madison. The McCarthy House is also of interest because it was built for Mr. T.C. McCarthy. The home served Mr. McCarthy both as home and as office. It gives a visible record of popular design style integrated with excellent engineering skills interpreted by Lew Porter, the architect. It also gives recognition to the solid skills of the builder, Mr. Timothy McCarthy, and is a continuing reminder of Mr. McCarthy's contributions to Madison, as both a contractor and a public citizen.

T. C. McCarthy began a career as a contractor of major buildings by being the superintendent of construction for the Dane County Courthouse in 1883. The building of the Dane County Court House served as the initial project to launch the association of Allan Conover and Lew Porter also. Allan Darst Conover was the senior member, teacher and early creative strength of the partnership that was formalized about 1885 and continued until 1899, when each set up a separate practice. A. Conover was born in Madison, September 9,1854; he was the son of professor O. M. Conover at the University of Wisconsin, a professor of ancient languages and literature, who also had a second career in law. Allan Conover graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1874 with a degree in civil engineering. He gained practical experience by working on the construction of the Wisconsin Central Railroad as a student. After graduation, he worked as a private engineering consultant for one year. In 1875 he became an instructor in civil engineering at the University of Wisconsin, took two years off again to be a private engineering consultant, then resumed his appointment at the university as a Professor of engineering from 1879 - 1890. During these years as a professor, he continued his consulting business and set up the architectural firm.

Lew Forster Porter was born in Illinois in 1862. After attending Beloit College, he studied civil engineering at the University of Wisconsin; Professor Conover was one of MS instructors. With the completion of his junior year of school, Lew Porter left the University to work with A. Conover in supervising the building of the Dane County Courthouse (1883-1886), Science Hall (1885 -1887), and the University of Wisconsin Chemistry Laboratory (1885 -1886). T. C. McCarthy was the builder of all three of these buildings. In 1885, Professor Conover was 31, Lew Porter was 23 and T. C. McCarthy was 32 years old. They apparently were three energetic contemporaries with vision and high regard for each other's separate skills. Sadly, the Dane County Courthouse, a magnificent building that launched the careers of these three men, was razed in the 1950's. Lew Porter is credited with assisting hi the design of the University of Wisconsin Gymnasium/Armory (1892-1894) and Boathouse (1894). The T. C. McCarthy firm built this project also. Lew Porter's expertise in engineering launched his career in a supervisory capacity; Mr. Porter's second focus in the firm was as an architect. He designed schools, offices and private homes. Among the homes that Mr. Porter designed during the Conover - Porter partnership years were residences for Fred Brown (121 East Gilman St., 1888), for Henry Fauerbach (940 Spaight St., 1892), for Timothy McCarthy, (1897), for John H. Findorff (437 North Frances, 1896), and for the Dean of the College of Agriculture (10 Babcock Drive, 1897). As the McCarthy firm concentrated on large construction contracts, the residential building projects by T. C. McCarthy have not been well documented. However, the home at 10 Babcock Drive for the Dean of the College of Agriculture and the T. C. McCarthy house both are McCarthy firm constructions, being built only a year apart.

Martha Kilgour, granddaughter of Lew Porter, related a story she heard as a young girl from Edwin Fred. Edwin Fred was Dean of the College of Agriculture and then President of the University. His story confirmed McCarthy as the contractor in an amusing style. He expressed that it was great to have that Irishman McCarthy as a contractor, but you had to expect an able crew of workmen only on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday as you know how the Irish loved their drink.