Three Centuries of Architectural Styles in Fort Plain:  Part 2

Romantic-Greek Revival 1825-1860

In 1828, Henry Crouse built this home with a low-pitched roof emphasized with a wide band of trim and a front door surrounded by narrow sidelights and a rectangular transom light above the door for his son, Menzo Crouse. The Crouse family owned a brickyard at the end of West Street in the village. Their bricks were used in the construction of many buildings throughout Fort Plain including 9 residences Henry built for his children. When Menzo became of age in 1854, he was given the home.  Menzo Crouse was a local merchant who partnered with David Hackney in the grocery business.   They were also dealers in hops, wool and cheese. Menzo Crouse lived in the home until his death in 1926.

Victorian Shingle 1800-1900

Built during the early 20th Century, this was the home of Delmar and Emma DeWandelaer. The home has wall cladding and roofing of continuous wood shingles. The shingled walls in this style home may occur on the second story only. The façade of the home is asymmetrical with a steeply pitched roof line and a large wrap-around porch. The DeWandelaers owned and operated a furniture store and undertaking business with Byron Gray on River Street in Fort Plain. The DeWandelaer name can be traced back prior to the American Revolution; the family originally  settling in Stone Arabia in the Town of Palatine. Below is an 1895 ad from The Mohawk Valley Register for DeWandelaer & Gray’s store.

1895 ad from The Mohawk Valley Register for DeWandelaer & Gray’s store.

Eclectic Tudor 1890 - 1940

Edward and Blanche Petri built this home on Prospect Hill in 1937. The home has a steeply pitched roof with a side gable and a façade dominated by two prominent cross gables that are steeply pitched. Homes of this style often have tall, narrow windows and massive chimneys often crowned by a decorative chimney pot. While excavating the ground for the cellar of the home two Indian skeletons were discovered.  It was not unusual for Indian remains and artifacts to be unearthed at Prospect Hill since the hill was once home to a Mohawk Indian village.  Edward Petri worked with his brother, George, as a baker in Petri’s Bakery on Canal Street in Fort Plain.  George had purchased the bakery, formerly known as the White Satin Bakery, in 1927.  The two brothers ran the bakery until 1954 when it was sold to Myron Walton.  Edward Petri kept a peacock named Ceasar in a pen at the rear of the home.  The peacock brought much pleasure not only to the Petri’s but also to the villagers who made the trip to Prospect Hill to enjoy seeing Ceasar’s beautiful plummage.

Little is known about the history or the style of this brick home prior to 1868.  According to the Historic Resources Survey of Fort Plain completed by Jessie Ravage in 2010, this two-story brick home with the stepped gable ends contains details of the Late Federal style homes. The home is shown on the 1868 map of Fort Plain belonging to an R. Bamber. Research has determined that the home was owned at that time by a Roger Bamber who was born in Ireland, settled on a farm in the Town of Stark, NY and moved to Fort Plain around 1860.  Roger Bamber was a produce dealer who was listed in an 1876 NYC directory as having a produce company called Bamber and Co. on 76 Broad Street in the city.  In the directory his home is listed as Fort Plain.  Roger Bamber died in 1886 and is buried in Fort Plain.  The next occupant of the home was Henry Zoller.  Originally a farmer in Minden, Henry moved west in 1867 to engage in merchandizing, cattle raising, pork packing and mining.  Following the death of his first wife, he and his daughter moved back to Albany where he ran a fruit and vegetable business.  In 1884 he moved back to Fort Plain and married Margaret Groff.  They occupied the home; he until his death in 1913, she until her death in 1940.  The home was later purchased by Howard B. Gray and became a funeral home. Today, the home is once again a private residence.  We welcome any information one might have on this home’s style.

Eclectic Craftsman 1905-1930

Characterized by a low- pitched hip roof this one-story home is like some simple Prairie houses that normally lack the exposed rafters and other typical Craftsman details of which this home is a subtype. The home was built by Howard and Jessie Sitterley.  Howard and Jessie were married in 1925.  Howard at one time worked as a laborer on the Barge Canal and later he was self employed as a sign painter and all-around handy man.  The Sitterley family can be traced back to the time of the Palatine Migration to the Mohawk Valley in the 1700’s.  During the American Revolution members of the Sitterley family fought on the side of the Patriots with the Tryon County Militia.

Victorian Stick 1860 - 1890

Built by Dr. John K. Burnett, this gabled roof home shows decorative trusses at the apex with overhanging eaves that have exposed rafter ends.  The wooden wall cladding is interrupted by patterns of horizontal, vertical or diagonal boards commonly known as stickwork.  These boards are raised from the wall surface for emphasis.  The porches show diagonal or curved braces. Few houses of this style show all these features in combination.  In 1866 Dr. Burnett came to Fort Plain after attending dental school in New York City.  He and his wife traveled to Europe and fell in love with a home of this Victorian Stick style.  Upon their return to Fort Plain he sent for the plans in order to build the home.  His dentist office, waiting room and dental room were in his home. His obituary characterized Dr. Burnett as “a steady, reliable, consistent influence for the best interests of the town.”  Dr. Burnett passed away in 1916 having served as a dentist to as many as three generations of village families.