West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and Historynameititle Rodney S. Collins, Director, Historic Preservation Unit organization Department of Culture and History date November

United States Department of the lnterisr ... ._ .A_C I _ _ . _ _ .

National Park Service For NPS use bniy . ;q

- hla-tionai Regis3 er 05 H i s t o r i c !?!aces received

4 BnvenPory-Nomination Form See instruct ions in How to Complete National Register Forms Type all entr ies-cornplete applicable sections

-

I. Name

hlstoric Dawson, T .H.B., House

andlor common Dawson, T.H.B., Xouse

street & number 300 5. Green S t r e e t N/A not for publication

city, town Berkeley S p r i n g s %'vicinity of

state West V i r g i n i a code 54 county Xorgan code 065

3. Classification Category Ownership - district - public

building(s) X private - structure - both - site Public Acquisition - object F&L in process

- being considered

Status ;'F occupied - unoccupied - work in progress Accessible - yes: restricted _X_ yes: unrestricted - no

Present Use - agriculture - museum - commercial - park - educational _IF private residence - entertainment - religious - government - scientific - industrial - transpofiation

military - other:

4. Owner of Property

name R.C. aunn

street & number 15750 Vestbrook

city, town D e t r o i t w v i c i n i t y of state Xich igan

5. hecation of Legal Description courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. Morgan County Courthouse

street & number

city, town Berkeley S p r i n g s state Vesz V i r 0 - i ,-nia

6. Represent ation In Existing Surveys

title N/ A. V has this property been determined eligible? - yes -.no

date - federal - state - countv - local

depository for survey records

city, town state

9, Description

Condition Check one Check one - excellent - deteriorated - unaltered 9 original site 2L good - ruins L altered - moved date - fair - unexposed

Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance

The T.H.B. Dawson House, a l a r g e red b r i ck I t a l i a n a t e - s t y l e 19th-century r e s idence , occupies a h i l l s i d e c i t y l o t a t t h e corner of Green and Narket S t r e e t s i n Berkeley Springs (Bath) , s e a t of Xorgan County, West Vi rg in ia . The s l i g h t g r a d i e n t of t h e h i l l s i d e p a r c e l r equ i r ed t h e bu i lde r s to e r e c t t h e house wi th a h igh , f ron t - f ac ing r a i s e d basement and an expansive f l i g h t of wooden en t r ance s t a i r s . These components combine t o g i v e t h e e d i f i c e a cornanding presence on t h e c i t y s t r e e t . A weal th of d e t a i l i n t h e form of turned , sawn, and open-work wooden ornainent and o t h e r p ic turesque f e a t u r e s such a s three-sided window bays, segmental-headed window openings, and louvered window s h u t t e r s on o r i g i n a l p i n t l e s , su rv ive i n an e x c e l l e n t s t a t e of p re se rva t ion . It i s t h e presence of such d e t a i l and t h e s u r v i v a l of t he V i c t o r i a n massing and f l o o r p l a n t h a t cause t h i s house - b u i l t i n 1880 - t o be so important t o t h e community where many o t h e r s of s i m i l a r s t y l e have been a l t e r e d o r des t royed .

The Dawson r e s idence i s an L-shaped, 2-story b r i c k house w i t h h igh ly o r n a t e porches a t t h e f r o n t and s i d e e l e v a t i o n s . The dwel l ing ' s gabled r o o f s , covered w i t h cor rugated t i n ( e a r l i e r wi th s l a t e ) a r e p ie rced a t t h e gabled ends w i t h l n t e r i o r chimneys and embellished a t t h e apex of t h e saves wi th a a s s i v e open-work and punched wooden sc reens . Heavy wooden co rn ice heads appoint each of t h e window and door openings t h a t a r e a l l segmental i n shape. The corn ices above t h e en t r ance and second s t o r y window centered i n t h e facade , a r e e s p e c i a l l y heavy. Framing t h e c e n t r a l bay of t h e f r o n t facade i s a massive and s t e e p i y pi tched c ros s gable t h a t lends t h e arch- i t e c t u r a l composition a d i s t i n c t Gothic touch.

Two, 3-sided bays f l a n k t h e en t rance and a r e l inked wi th a roof and balus- t r aded wooden deck r a i l t h a t e f f e c t i v e l y forms a recessed porch extending ac ros s t h e e n t i r e f i r s t s t o r y of t h e en t r ance e l eva t ion . The doorway is cen te red beneath t h e porch w i t h i n a mullioned opening wi th a n expansive segmental transom and f loo r - l e n g t h s i d e l i g h t s . The g l a s s panes of t h e surrounds he re and i n t h e second s t o r y 3-part window, a r e r e f e r r e d t o i n t h e surv iv ing b i l l s and shipping n o t i c e s ( i n t h e owner's possess ion) , a s " f igured glass1 ' (etched g l a s s ) . The heavy f r o n t s ing le - l e a f door i s deeply moulded and paneled i n t h e High Vic to r i an manner. Ash and b lack walnut planks comprise t h e f l o o r i n g of t h e en t rance foye r .

A 2-f l igh t s t a i r r i s e s a t t h e r e a r of t h e open-well e n t r a n c e h a l l t o provide acces s t o t h e spacious rooms of t h e upper f l o o r . The 10 rooms of t h e house a r e f i n i s h e d w i t h heavy, da rk softwood moulding& a l l of t h e w a i l s a r e e i t h e r papered o r pa in ted . The custom-made book c a s e s of t h e f i r s t f l o o r l e f t p a r l o r a r e designed w i t h Goth ic-s ty le ornament. While wa l l su r f aces were gene ra l ly papered a f t e r t h e t u r n of t h e century , o r i g i n a l w a l l co lo r ing c a l l e d "alabast ine", a b l u i s h hue wi th l ime mixture, was a p p l i e d t o many of t h e wa l l s a f t e r cons t ruc t ion . T h i s f i n i s h can

be seen i n p a r t s of t h e house today. The s u r v i v a l of numerous o r i g i n a l l i g h t i n g

f i x t u r e s and hardware i n a d d i t i o n t o t h e l a r g e quan t i t y of o r i g i n a l f u r n i s h i n g s , V i c t o r i a n bric-a-brac, and household u t i l i t y i tems, make t h e house a veri .Zable museum of domestic V i c t o r i a n m a t e r i a l c u l t u r e .

I gra ined t o resemble hardwood

United States Department of the interior National Park Service

- ..- - - .

For N P S use only - -- -

Watbnal Register of H i s t o r i c Places recewed-- - -._

hventory-Momination Form date entered - - .

T. H. 3 . Dawson House, >!organ County, Ses t '.*irg~nia * - " . . . "_ .

Cont~nuation sheet Item number 7 ~ a s e

While the Dawson House is not an example of baronial Victorian architectare. it is a significant and largely intact example of a substantial house type once com- monly assigned to upper middle class businessmen and professionals of America's Gilded Age.

8. Significance

Period Areas of Significance--Check and justify below - prehistoric - archeology-prehistoric - community planning - landscape architecture- religion - 1400-1499 - archeology-historic - conservation - law - science

- 1500-1599 - agriculture - economics - literature - sculpture - 1600-1699 architecture education - military 1L social1 - 1700-1799 - art - engineering - music humanitarian

1800-1 899 - commerce - exploration~settlement - philosophy - theater

- 1900- - communications - industry - politics~government - transportation - invention -& other (specify)

l o c a l h i s t :

Specific dates 188C BuiiderlArchitect H.H. & J.W. Hunte r , b u i l d e r s

Statement of Significance (in one paragraph)

The T.H.B. Dawson House i n Berke iey Spr ings , Morgan County, West V i r g i n i a , i s s i g n i f i c a n t because i t i s t h e b e s t p r e s e r v e d and d e t a i l e d s u r v i v i n g example o f I t a l i a n a t e - G o t h i c a r c h i t e c t u r e i n t h e community, and because i t is a s s o c i a t e d w i t h a prominent member of l o c a l 19 th -cen tury s o c i e t y i n t h e environment of a r u r a l coun ty s e a t .

P l a n s f o r t h e Dawson Xouse were drawn p r i o r t o 1880 2nd execu ted i n 1580 by l o c a l b u i l d e r s H . H . and J.W. Hunter . ( P l a n books may have been used i n t h e d e s i g n j . B u i l d i n g m a t e r i a l s were o rdered from a r e a b u s i n e s s e s ; e .g . lumber from George D. Landwehr o f Cumberland, Yaryland, and ?. Xein & Company. The f i n i s h e d house w a s a n i m p r e s s i v e a d d i t i o n t o t h e c o r n u n i t y though i t s grounds were o r i g i n a l l y more s p a c i o u s and c o n t a i n e d s e v e r a l s u b s i d i a r y s t r u c t u r e s f o r t h e s t o r a g e of hams, wood and c o a l . L i k e most s u b s t a n t i a l suburban houses of 19 th -cen tury America, t h e Dawson House was sur rounded by open l o t s . The q u i e t s i t e above t h e town of Berkeley S p r i n g s gave i t s o c c u p a n t s a c e r t a i n freedom from t h e b u s t l e and p o l l u t i o n of the commercial s t r e e t s around t h e cour thouse ; i t a l s o 2 rov ided a d e g r e e of s e c u r i t y from change.

Thus t h e Dawson Eouse s u r v i v e s a s a n e x c e l l e n t , i n t a c t exanp le o f s u b s t a n t i a i - small- town a r c h i t e c t u r e of t h e p e r i o d . V i t h t h e encroachment o f l a t e r , l e s s s o p h i s - t i c a t e d r e s i d e n t i a l development on n e i g h b o r i n g c i t y l o t s , t h e V i c t o r i a n q u a l i t y o f t h e Dawson House d i d n o t d i m i n i s h b u t remained a l t o g e t h e r a s i n g u l a r s t a t e m e n t of i d e a s o f f a s h i o n from a n o t h e r t ime.

The I t a l i a a t e e lements chosen by t h e b u i l d e r a r e b e s t r e p r e s e n t e d i n t h e u s e o f heavy ornament over window and door open ings and i n t h e p l e n t i f u l sawnwork e m b e l l i s h i n g porch and verandah columns. Goth ic f l o u r i s h e s a r e e v i d e n t t o o i n t h e s t e e p c r o s s g a b l e dominat ing t h e b u i l d i n g ' s f r o n t e l e v a t i o n and i n t h e wooden openwork s c r e e n o f q u a t r e f o i l s d e c o r a t i n g t h e e a v e s o f t h e verandah on t h e n o r t h s i d e o f t h e house . The v e r n a c u l a r c h a r a c t e r of t h e house i s c h a r a c t e r i z e d t h e n by a c o l l e c t i o n o f s t y l e e l e m e n t s t h a t harmonize w i t h i n t h e b road g e n r e of 19 th -cen tury b u i l d i n g c a l l e d "Vic to r ian" . The purpose of t h e b u i l d e r was t o c r e a t e a dominat ing s t a t e m e n t r e f l e c t i n g t h e s t a t u s of t h e ovner ; i t i s t h e c h o i c e of ornament and v e r t i c a l mass ing - a s i n t h e t a l l , segmental double-hung windows w i t h console-supported heavy c o r n i c e heads - t h a t produce t h i s e f f e c t , a l t h o u g h t o have r e f e r r e d t o t h e house as a " c o t t a g e " i n t h e l a t e 1 9 t h c e n t u r y would have been a c c e p t a b l e .

The c i t i z e n of Berkeley S p r i n g s f o r whom t h e house was b u i l t 32s H r . T.1I.B. (Thomas Hart Benton) Dawson (1840-1921), a n a t i v e of t h e community who a t t a i n e d prominence i n community s e r v i c e and b u s i n e s s a f f a i r s . The Morgan Messenger upon t h e d e a t h . o f M r . Dawson r e p o r t e d i n i t s J a n u a r y 27, 1921, a d d i t i o n t h a t h e was "one o f Morgan County's o l d e s t and b e s t known c i t i z e n s . " Fol lowing a c t i v e se??."vce i n t h e

NPS Form 10.900.a V.81)

United States Department of the Interior .. __ . _ National Park Service For NPS US^ only = z

. .- . . -.

National R e g i s t e r of Historic Places received

went tor^-Nomination Form date entered ... . - : - a i T. H. B. Dawson Xouse, Norgan County, Y e s t i ' i r g i n i a . < %.*L - - . % ./:-+4

Contlnuat~on sheet Itern number 8 Paqe 2

Union Army d u r i n g t h e C i v i l Var , Dawson was e l e c t e d i n 1866 c o u n t y c l e r k o f Yorgan County , a p o s i t i o n t h a t was h e l d f o r 36 c o n s e c u t i v e y e a r s . A l so a c t i v e i n t h e l e g a l p r o f e s s i o n and i n s u r a n c e b u s i n e s s , Dawson p l ayed o t h e r r o l e s i n t h e community.

I n 1 8 8 9 , "Col ." Dawson was a c h a r t e r and boa rd member of t h e Bank o f B e r k e l e y S p r i n g s , a p o s i t i o n h e f i l l e d u n t i l t h e end o f h i s l i f e . Dawson a l s o a s s i s t e d as a c h a r t e r member o f t h e George G. Summers P o s t of t h e G . X . R . (Grand Army o f t h e R e p u b l i c ) . Dawson w a s t h e s o n o f Henry a n d E l i z a b e t h Fearnow Dawson. He and h i s w i f e , H o l l i e Brown Dawson, were t h e p a r e n t s o f t e n c h i l d r e n . P r e s e n t (1982) owner o f t h e Dawson House i s M r . R.C. Dunn, a grandson o f T.H.B. Dawson.

The Dawson House i s s i g n i f i c a n t t h e r e f o r e b s c a u s e i t r e p r e s e n t s a l o c a l i y d i s t i n g u i s h e d example o f l a t e 1 9 t h c e n t u r y a r c h i t e c t u r e and b e c a u s e i t p r e s e r v e s i n i t s f u r n i s h i n g s and l o r e t h e t r a d i t i o n s of a l o c a l l y prominent f a m i l y .

9, Major BlBliographicaI References > l i s c e l l a n e o u s b i l l s , s h i p p i n g n o t i c e s , correspondence and photographs owned by

R.C. Dunn of Berke ley Spr ings , West V i r g i n i a . Xorgan Yessenger , Jan . 27, 1921. " R e g i s t e r of Deaths", Xorgan County, !Jest V i r g i n i a , Voi. 1 (1905-29) p . 48.

0 . Geographical Data Acreage of nominated property city lot 80 ' 137' Quadrangle name S t o t l e r s Cross roads , West V i r g i n i a

UMT References

Quadrangle scale : 24 7 Oo0 '

A 11 17 1 17 13 1719 18 101 14 13 18 19 15 12 101 Zone Easting Northing Zone Easting Northing

verbal boundary description and justification C i t y l o t 80' x 137 ' , no. 2-88, W i g h t and Smith A d d i t i o n , Berke ley S p r i n g s , West V i r g i n i a ,

List all states and counties for properties overlapping state or county boundaries

state N/X code county code

state code county code

11. Form Prepared By nameititle Rodney S. C o l l i n s , D i r e c t o r , H i s t o r i c P r e s e r v a t i o n Uni t

organization Department of C u l t u r e and H i s t o r y date November 3. 1982

street & number C u l t u r a l Cen te r - C a p i t o l Ccmplex telephone 304/ 348-0240

city or town C h a r l e s t o n state West V i r g i n i a 25305

12. State Historic Preserwation Officer Certification The evaluated significance of this property within the state is:

- national -- state 1L local -- -- - -- --

As the designated State Historic Preservation Officer for the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law 89- 665), 1 hereby nominate this property for inclusion in the tional Register and certify that it has been evaluated according to the criteria and procedures set

State Historic Preservation Officer signature - / /

/ / title Commissioner, Department of C u l t u r e and H S s t o r y / date December 21, I982