Carpenter Gothic - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Carpenter Gothic, also sometimes called Carpenter's Gothic, and Rural Gothic, is a North American architectural style-designation for an application of Gothic Revival

Gothic Revival architecture

The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...

architectural detailing and picturesque

Picturesque

Picturesque is an aesthetic ideal introduced into English cultural debate in 1782 by William Gilpin in Observations on the River Wye, and Several Parts of South Wales, etc. Relative Chiefly to Picturesque Beauty; made in the Summer of the Year 1770, a practical book which instructed England's...

massing applied to wooden structures built by house-carpenters. The abundance of North American timber and the carpenter-built vernacular architecture

Vernacular architecture

Vernacular architecture is a term used to categorize methods of construction which use locally available resources and traditions to address local needs and circumstances. Vernacular architecture tends to evolve over time to reflect the environmental, cultural and historical context in which it...

s based upon it made a picturesque improvisation upon Gothic a natural evolution. Carpenter Gothic improvises upon features that were carved in stone in authentic Gothic architecture

Gothic architecture

Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....

, whether original or in more scholarly revival styles; however, in the absence of the restraining influence of genuine Gothic structures, the style was freed to improvise and emphasize charm and quaintness rather than fidelity to received models. The genre received its impetus from the publication by Alexander Jackson Davis

Alexander Jackson Davis

Alexander Jackson Davis, or A. J. Davis , was one of the most successful and influential American architects of his generation, in particular his association with the Gothic Revival style....

, Rural Residences and from detailed plans and elevations in publications by Andrew Jackson Downing

Andrew Jackson Downing

Andrew Jackson Downing was an American landscape designer, horticulturalist, and writer, a prominent advocate of the Gothic Revival style in the United States, and editor of The Horticulturist magazine...

History

Carpenter Gothic houses and small churches became common in North America in the late nineteenth century. These structures adapted Gothic elements such as pointed arches, steep gables, and towers to traditional American light-frame construction. The invention of the scroll saw

Scroll saw

A scroll saw is a small electric or pedal-operated saw that is useful for cutting intricate curves in cases where a jigsaw or coping saw is not appropriate. It is capable of creating curves with edges...

and mass-produced wood moldings allowed a few of these structures to mimic the florid fenestration of the High Gothic. But in most cases, Carpenter Gothic buildings were relatively unadorned, retaining only the basic elements of pointed-arch windows and steep gables. Probably the best known example of Carpenter Gothic is the house in Eldon, Iowa

Eldon, Iowa

Eldon is a city in Wapello County, Iowa, United States. The population was 998 at the 2000 census. Eldon is the site of the small Carpenter Gothic style house that has come to be known as the American Gothic House because Grant Wood used it for the background in his famous 1930 painting American...

, that Grant Wood

Grant Wood

Grant DeVolson Wood was an American painter, born four miles east of Anamosa, Iowa. He is best known for his paintings depicting the rural American Midwest, particularly the painting American Gothic, an iconic image of the 20th century.- Life and career :His family moved to Cedar Rapids after his...

used for the background of his famous painting American Gothic

American Gothic

American Gothic is a painting by Grant Wood, in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. Wood's inspiration came from a cottage designed in the Gothic Revival style with a distinctive upper window and a decision to paint the house along with "the kind of people I fancied should live in that...

Characteristics

Carpenter Gothic is largely confined to small domestic buildings and outbuildings and small churches. It is characterized by its profusion of jig-sawn details, whose craftsmen-designers were freed to experiment with elaborate forms by the invention of the steam-powered scroll saw

Scroll saw

. A common but not necessary feature is board and batten

Batten

A batten is a thin strip of solid material, typically made from wood, plastic or metal. Battens are used in building construction and various other fields as both structural and purely cosmetic elements...

siding. A less common feature is buttress

Buttress

A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...

ing, especially on churches and larger houses.

Ornamental use

Carpenter Gothic ornamentation is not limited to use on wooden structures but has been used successfully on other structures especially Gothic Revival brick

Brick

A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...

houses such as the Warren House in a historic district in Newburgh, New York

Montgomery-Grand-Liberty Streets Historic District

The Montgomery-Grand-Liberty Streets Historic District was the first of two to be designated in the city of Newburgh, New York, USA. It runs along the three named north-south streets in the northeast quadrant of the city and includes 250 buildings in its ....

, which is said to epitomize the work of Andrew Jackson Downing, but was actually done by his one-time partner, Calvert Vaux

Calvert Vaux

Calvert Vaux , was an architect and landscape designer. He is best remembered as the co-designer , of New York's Central Park....

Geographic extent

Carpenter Gothic structures are typically found in most states of the United States, except Arizona

Arizona

Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...

and New Mexico

New Mexico

New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...

. Many Carpenter Gothic houses were built in Nevada in the 1860-1870s (Virginia City, Reno, Carson City, and Carson Valley areas) and still exist (2010). Carpenter Gothic places of worship are found in all provinces and the Northwest Territories

Northwest Territories

The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...

of Canada, while Carpenter Gothic houses seem to be limited to Ontario

Ontario

Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....

, Quebec

Quebec

Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....

and the Maritime Provinces in Canada.

Endangered Carpenter Gothic buildings

Many American Carpenter Gothic structures are listed on the National Register of Historic Places

National Register of Historic Places

The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...

, which may help to ensure their preservation. Many, though, are not listed and those in urban areas are endangered by the increased value of the land they occupy. A current example of this is St. Saviour's Episcopal Church, Maspeth, New York, built in 1847 by Richard Upjohn

Richard Upjohn

Richard Upjohn was an English-born architect who emigrated to the United States and became most famous for his Gothic Revival churches. He was partially responsible for launching the movement to such popularity in the United States. Upjohn also did extensive work in and helped to popularize the...

. Its rectory has already been demolished and a deal with the city of New York

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

to preserve the church in exchange for higher density on the remaining vacant land has fallen through and the parcel is now on the market for $10 million.

Relocation

Some Carpenter Gothic buildings have been relocated

Structure relocation

A structure relocation is the process of moving a structure from one location to another. There are two main ways for a structure to be moved: disassembling and then reassembling it at the required destination, or transporting it whole. For the latter, the building may be pushed on temporary rails...

for reasons ranging from historic preservation

Historic preservation

Historic preservation is an endeavor that seeks to preserve, conserve and protect buildings, objects, landscapes or other artifacts of historical significance...

to aesthetics

Aesthetics

Aesthetics is a branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of beauty, art, and taste, and with the creation and appreciation of beauty. It is more scientifically defined as the study of sensory or sensori-emotional values, sometimes called judgments of sentiment and taste...

. Some, such as All Saints, Jensen Beach, Florida

All Saints Episcopal Church, Waveland (Jensen Beach, Florida)

All Saints' Episcopal Church, Waveland, is an historic Carpenter Gothic church built in 1898 on Crossroads Hill in Waveland, now part of Jensen Beach, Florida It is the oldest church building located in what is now Martin County, Florida. It is also the northernmost parish in the present-day...

, have been moved only a few hundred feet on the same property in order to get a better view and to allow for expansion, while others such as Holy Apostles, Satellite Beach, Florida

Holy Apostles Episcopal Church (Satellite Beach, Florida)

Holy Apostles Episcopal Church, is an historic Carpenter Gothic church located today at 505 Grant Avenue in Satellite Beach, Florida in the United States. It was built in 1902 some 60 miles to the south in Fort Pierce to serve St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, which it did until March 25, 1959, when St...

, have been barged many miles in order to be preserved. Others such as All Saints, DeQuicy, Louisiana

All Saints Episcopal Church, (DeQuincy, Louisiana)

All Saints Episcopal Church is an historic Carpenter Gothic Episcopal church located at Hall and Harrison streets, in DeQuincy, Louisiana in the United States. On September 20, 1983, All Saints was added to the National Register of Historic Places.-History:...

, have been dismantled, transported long distances and then reassembled in order to be preserved and reused. Some structures have been moved many times.

St. Luke's, Cahaba, Alabama

St. Luke's Episcopal Church (Cahaba, Alabama)

St. Luke's Episcopal Church is a historic Carpenter Gothic church, built during the 1850s at Cahaba, the first capital of Alabama from 1820 to 1826. The unknown builder closely followed plans published by architect Richard Upjohn in his 1852 book Rural Architecture...

, has had an interesting history of moves. In 1876, due to the danger of flooding in Cahaba, it was dismantled and moved from its original location 25 miles or so to Browns where it was reassembled. In 2006-2007, it was carefully dismantled by students from Auburn University

Auburn University

Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...

and moved back to Cahaba, where it is now being reassembled by the students on the Cahaba State Historic Site not too far from its original location.

Exterior alterations

Some Carpenter Gothic structures such as St. Stephen's in Ridgeway, South Carolina

St. Stephen's Episcopal Church (Ridgeway, South Carolina)

St. Stephen's Episcopal Church is an historic Episcopal church building located northeast of Ridgeway, South Carolina, on County Road 106. Built of wood in 1854 in the Carpenter Gothic style, it was designed by the Rev. John Dewitt McCollough, who later became its rector. The exterior was painted a...

, have had their exteriors altered by stucco

Stucco

Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...

ing, brick veneering, etc., so that their original style is no longer apparent.

"American Gothic"

"American Gothic

American Gothic

" is a painting

Painting

Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...

by Grant Wood

Grant Wood

from 1930. Wood's inspiration came from a cottage

American Gothic House

The American Gothic House, also known as the Dibble House, is an iconic Carpenter Gothic house in Eldon, Iowa. It was the backdrop of the 1930 painting American Gothic by Grant Wood...

designed in the Carpenter Gothic style with a distinctive upper window and a decision to paint the house along with "the kind of people I fancied should live in that house."

Steamboat Gothic

Steamboat Gothic architecture, a term popularized by Frances Parkinson Keyes's

Frances Parkinson Keyes

Frances Parkinson Keyes was an American author, and a convert to Roman Catholicism, whose works frequently featured Catholic themes and beliefs. Her last name rhymes with "skies," not "keys."-Life and career:...

novel of that name, is sometimes confused with Carpenter Gothic architecture, but Steamboat Gothic usually refers to large houses in the Mississippi and Ohio river valleys that were designed to resemble the steamboat

Steamboat

A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...

s on those rivers.

Current use

Carpenter Gothic structures are still being built today. St. Luke's Church

St. Luke's Church, Blue Ridge

St. Luke's Church, an Episcopal / Anglican Church located in Blue Ridge, Georgia, is popularly known as "The Parish Church of the Mountains" because it draws worshippers from Fannin, Gilmer and Union Counties in Georgia and from Cherokee County in North Carolina and Polk County in Tennessee...

in Blue Ridge, Georgia

Blue Ridge, Georgia

Blue Ridge is a city in Fannin County, Georgia, United States. The population was 1,210 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Fannin County.-Geography:Blue Ridge, GA is located at ....

, was built in 1995, while Carpenter Gothic house plans are available.

Outside North America

Many nineteenth-century timber Gothic Revival structures were built in Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

, and in New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

- such as Frederick Thatcher

Frederick Thatcher

Rev. Frederick Thatcher was an English and New Zealand architect and clergyman.He was born at Hastings to a long-established Sussex family. He was one of the earliest associates of the Institute of British Architects, being admitted in 1836.He emigrated to New Zealand in 1843, working in New...

's Old St. Paul's, Wellington, and Benjamin Mountfort

Benjamin Mountfort

Benjamin Woolfield Mountfort was an English emigrant to New Zealand, where he became one of that country's most prominent 19th century architects. He was instrumental in shaping the city of Christchurch's unique architectural identity and culture, and was appointed the first official Provincial...

's St Mary's, but the term "Carpenter's Gothic" is not often used, and many of their architects also built in stone.

External links

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