The Gothic House

The Gothic House, also known as the John J. Brown House, is an historic house at 387 Spring Street in Portland, Maine. Built in 1845, it is one of Maine's finest and earliest known examples of Gothic Revival architecture. Although it is virtually unaltered, it was moved down Spring Street in 1971 to avoid demolition. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.[1]

For the former house of this name in Brighton, see Gothic House, Brighton.

The Gothic House
The Gothic House in December 2010
The Gothic House is located in Maine
The Gothic House
The Gothic House is located in the United States
The Gothic House
Interactive map showing the location of The Gothic House
Location387 Spring St., Portland, Maine
Coordinates43°38′45″N 70°16′21″W
Area0.5 acres (0.20 ha)
Built1845
ArchitectHenry Rowe
Architectural styleGothic Revival
Part ofSpring Street Historic District (ID70000043)
NRHP reference No.72001539[1]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPDecember 31, 1974
Designated CPApril 3, 1970

Description and history

The Gothic House is located in Portland's West End neighborhood, on the north side of Spring Street, a short way east of the Western Cemetery. Spring Street here is part of the Spring Street Historic District, a cluster of well-preserved 19th century residences.[2] The house is a two-story wood-frame structure, with a hip roof, wooden siding treated to resemble rusticated stone, and a modern concrete foundation. The main (south-facing) facade is three bays wide, with a central projecting section housing the main entrance. That section, topped by a steeply-pitched gable, has a two-pointed Gothic arched window on the second level, and the entrance, sheltered by a Gothic-detailed porch on the first. Windows in the flanking bays are diamond-paned casement windows. The main gable in front, and smaller gables on the side elevations, are all decorated with bargeboard trim.[3]

The house was designed by Irish immigrant Henry Rowe (1812–1870), a major proponent of the Gothic Revival, and built in 1845; it is believed to be Rowe's first commission in the state,[3] and is described in city promotional materials as the finest example of Gothic Revival architecture in Maine.[4] The design is based in part on examples published in Andrew Jackson Downing's 1842 Cottage Residences. The house was originally located approximately a mile to the east of the present location, closer to the city's port area. Faced with demolition in 1971, it was moved further down Spring Street and a Holiday Inn hotel was constructed in the former location.[3]

A bronze and brass Gothic chandelier that once hung in the parlor of the house was on exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City from April to September 1970.[5]

See also

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. John W. Briggs (December 31, 1969). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form: Spring Street Historic District" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved May 31, 2015. Ten Photos
  3. Earle G. Shettleworth Jr. (September 16, 1974). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form: The Gothic House" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved May 31, 2015. Also contains pre-move 1971 nomination. Photo (1971)
  4. Guide to the Western Promenade Archived 2011-03-07 at the Wayback Machine Portland Landmarks
  5. 19th-Century America: Furniture and other Decorative Arts, The Metropolitan Museum of Art (1970), item 103
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