PDF DOWNLOAD_Final_REVISIONS_05-11-09

Transcription

PDF DOWNLOAD_Final_REVISIONS_05-11-09
Copyright 2009
1
Preface
Capturing the elegance of traditional historic neighborhoods as
inspiration, the unique community of Sweet Bottom Plantation
embodies a time of gracious living and neighborly values. Imagine
being able to stroll through the romantic New Orleans Garden
District in the warm glow of gas lit street lamps, then wander
among the charming residences of Savannah’s delightful squares
and Charleston’s historic Battery before discovering a street of
classic 18th century New England Colonial homes.
In Sweet Bottom Plantation, you are surrounded by uniquely
inspired residences ranging from stately townhomes to expansive
mansions along winding, tree-lined lanes in an elegant mixture of
classic architectural styles, beautifully detailed motifs and lush
gardens. Ornate cast-iron fences and railings project shadow
patterns over wide porches with graceful columns, while streets
encompass inviting open spaces containing gazebos and
fountains.
To experience Sweet Bottom Plantation is to connect with the
feeling of traditional 18th and 19th century towns that offered
classic beauty, neighborly warmth and elegant serenity.
There is no other like Sweet Bottom Plantation.
Copyright 2009
2
Acknowledgments
Sweet Bottom Plantation Homeowners Association would
like to thank Jim Strickland of Historical Concepts located in
Peachtree City, Georgia for his generous help in recounting
the early planning and development process of our unique
community. Jim was initially retained as the architect and
master planner for the traditional neighborhood concept
of Sweet Bottom by prominent developer and land owner
Scott Hudgens, and designed the majority of individual
residences including an extensive collaboration on the
New Orleans Garden District section with builder Chip
MacPherson. Sweet Bottom Plantation could not have
attained such a high level of architectural diversity, feeling
of genuine warmth and graceful elegance had it not been
for the vision and attention to detail of Jim Strickland.
The Association would also like to express its gratitude to
Sweet Bottom resident Karen Lukas-Hardy for the majority
of original photography and resident Tom Hardy for his
research and coordination efforts. Additionally, numerous
photographs were contributed by Historical Concepts.
Frank Markham
President
Sweet Bottom Plantation Homeowners Association
Copyright 2009
3
Introduction
Sweet Bottom Plantation is a unique and secluded
private residential community bordering the
Chattahoochee River in Duluth, Georgia, about
30 miles Northeast of Atlanta.
The original concept for Sweet Bottom Plantation
was to create a residential environment influenced
by the personality and welcoming feeling of
traditional American towns. To attain a diversity of
styles, Charleston, New Orleans, Savannah and
New England, known for their gracious residences,
became the primary inspirations. Specific historical
homes were selected for the purpose of providing
inspirational character and feeling. The intention
was not to simply create precise replicas.
Careful adaptation and craftsmanship of varying
vernacular architectural styles, with associated
elements, scales, proportions, details, materials,
landscaping and site plan densities would create
a vibrant and human scale neighborhood. Most
importantly, the character of every house would be
unique, resulting in a feeling of harmonious diversity
and avoiding ‘cookie-cutter’ sameness. Sweet
Bottom Plantation was developed as a special
collection of historically inspired residences while
embodying comfortable and high quality, modern
amenities.
Copyright 2009
4
Begun in the early 1980s, Sweet Bottom Plantation was in fact one of
the first developments in America to apply a planning approach with
principles that would later evolve into what is known as Traditional
Neighborhood Development (TND) of the New Urbanism movement.
The Sweet Bottom Plantation community embodies the following
fundamental characteristics typically associated with a TND:
• Variety of housing types, sizes, land densities and harmonious
architectural styles within the defined neighborhood area that
establish a sense of place
• Network of neighborhood pathways and streets suitable for
pedestrian walking and biking
• Inclusion of common neighborhood squares and green areas
providing open park-like spaces
• Narrow, tree-lined streets with a variety of friendly patterns for
a pedestrian-scaled experience, including brick walkways
• Use of shared alleyways with rear garages allowing more trees
and green areas while minimizing driveways and limiting on-street
parking
• Reduced street light intensity providing unobtrusive illumination
and allowing the nighttime sky to be seen, including the use of
gaslights
• Proximity of residences and porches to the street providing the
opportunity for passers-by and residents to readily socialize
• Variety of building masses purposely sited along streets to
create visual rhythm and interest relative to pedestrian viewpoints
and neighboring structures
• Setbacks allowing a variety of aesthetic experiences from
wide-open spaces to intimate, building-defined streetscapes and
landscaped areas
• Range of commercial establishments and recreation within mile walking distance linked by pathways
Copyright 2009
Introduction
5
Influenced by historic American towns of the 18th and 19th centuries, Sweet Bottom
Plantation is itself “historic”, in the sense that it represents an archetype. Having
helped pioneer the resurrection of traditional neighborhood values by fostering
architectural integrity and thoughtful planning for over a quarter century, its unique
character is one-of-a-kind.
As Sweet Bottom is a private gated community, little is generally known publicly
about its visionary planning heritage, unique collection of architectural styles,
authenticity of refined detailing and quality of execution. Its story is being shared to
reflect on the grace of traditional neighborhoods, the richness of architectural history
and the experiences to be found in places of elegance and timeless beauty.
Copyright 2009
Introduction
6
Inspiration: Charleston
Charleston is one of America's most beautifully
preserved architectural and historic treasures with
a rich heritage dating back to its founding in 1670.
Colonial Charleston embodied a diverse array of
architecture in keeping with the broad trans-Atlantic
English tradition of provincial ports and market towns,
including row houses and large Georgian town houses.
Unique to the city was the Single House plan first
appearing in the early 18th century, and gradually
becoming the prevalent floor plan for historic houses
of 19th century Antebellum Charleston. While taking on
the visual character of various period architectural
styles, it proved remarkably adaptable in its own right
and helped residents endure hot and humid summers
with long side piazzas and cross-ventilation design.
Its narrow, gable end facing the street, the typical layout
was one room in width and two rooms in depth divided
by a central stair hall. The evolution of the Charleston
Single House came about because of narrow urban lots
first laid out in 1680 and incorporated into the city
master plan of 1725.
While the “front door” appears on the street side, it only
opens onto the piazza; the actual building entryway
being located further down on the side of the house.
Copyright 2009
Historic Reference
7
Inspiration: New Orleans
As New Orleans developed, space became precious and
many town lots were long and narrow as a distinctly urban
architectural tone evolved. First with Creole influence in
the French Quarter (Vieux Carre) and then the diversity
of architectural styles in the Garden District. New Orleans
became a plethora of cultures that defined its character.
The Garden District was the American cultural answer
to the Creole French Quarter. Architecture in the Garden
District became a fusion of classic styles with influences
of Spanish, French, Italian and English architecture, and
especially American Greek Revival. These gracious
homes represented some of the best work of the leadingedge architects and builders of the 19th century.
In many residences, artists were brought from abroad to
paint murals and portraits. Bronze and crystal chandeliers,
exquisite mouldings, marble mantels and classic statuary
were common. The exteriors of homes were equally
impressive with diverse styles, ornate cast-iron work and
fabulous gardens. While there is much variation in Garden
District architecture that reflects the improvisational
manner and diversity of New Orleans, the overall feeling
is one of harmony.
Copyright 2009
Historic Reference
8
Inspiration: Savannah
Skirting major damage in the Revolutionary War, the War
of 1812, and the Civil War, Savannah persevered through
both Reconstruction and the economic wrench of King
Cotton’s demise. The city brimmed with southern cultural
allure, history, art, architecture and tradition.
Savannah is branded as “Georgia’s First City,’’ given that
it became the first city developed after General James
Oglethorpe founded the southernmost English colony with
120 settlers on ground above the Savannah River in 1733.
Thanks to Oglethorpe’s plan, the city was laid out with 24
perfectly arranged squares. Today all but three remain.
Each of the squares is a tree-shaded garden, many with
a monument dedicated to an individual with ties to the city,
or a fountain. Elegant homes with rich architectural style
and detailing surround each square. Like Charleston and
New Orleans, Savannah has its own unique character of
beauty and romantic mystique.
Copyright 2009
Historic Reference
9
Inspiration: New England
Though the vast majority of homes in Sweet Bottom
Plantation are based on Antebellum era styles of the
American South, there are a number of houses
representing prominent 18th century homes located
in Northeastern Colonial towns – primarily in New
England. While this may at first appear to be in
conflict with the prevalent theme of Deep South
architectural styles, their inclusion is entirely
complementary.
These Northeastern residences are classic designs
of historic homes built in the Colonial era. Inclusion
in Sweet Bottom provides a historic perspective on
architectural styles that preceded, and very often
influenced, homes of the Antebellum South.
Copyright 2009
Historic Reference 10
Residences
12
Street Map
13
14-20
21-22
23-24
Unique Character
Antebellum Era Architecture
Colonial Era Architecture
Victorian Era Architecture
25
26
27-28
29-43
44-47
48-61
62-71
Character Elements
Common Areas
Fountains
Landscaping
Porches
Exterior Details
Interior Details
72-94
Neighborhood Views
95
Inspiration Tour
96-103
Muirfield Square
104
St. Andrew’s Square
105-107 Turnberry Court
108-113 St. Elisabeth Square
114-116 Pinehurst Way
117-119 St. Anne’s Court
120-125 The Battery
126-128 St. George’s Court
129-136 Sweet Bottom Drive
Copyright 2009
11
Copyright 2009
12
Unique Character
Copyright 2009
13
Antebellum Era
The majority of homes in Sweet Bottom Plantation are related to the Antebellum era in American history between 1800 and 1865.
“Antebellum” (Latin for “before the war”) refers to homes built in America preceding and during the Civil War. The term does not relate
to a particular architectural style, but rather to a time and place in history. Most Antebellum era homes were built in the styles of:
Greek Revival, Classical Revival, French Colonial, Italianate and Federal.
Architecture in the American South associated with the Antebellum era was introduced by Anglo-American planters and successful
business leaders in cities, especially after the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Homes built for Southern plantations and urban
neighborhoods during this era shared many common features:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Classic proportions
Symmetry
Rhythm of patterns
Decorative detailing
Stately trees
Grand entrances
Twelve-foot ceilings
Elegant interior mouldings
Covered galleries and piazzas
Columns
Hip or gable roof
Evenly-spaced windows
Shutters
Ornamental cast-iron
Formal gardens
The following pages provide overviews of Antebellum
era architectural styles found in Sweet Bottom.
Copyright 2009
Architecture
14
Greek Revival Style
(1820-1860)
At its height, the Greek Revival style parallels a period of
geographic expansion and growing national identity in America.
Part fashion, part conscious aesthetic, the style is defined by its
inventive use of ancient Greek forms. In America, it was more than
fashion; it was political. As a young country emerging from the
shadow of its British colonial past, it sought new paradigms and
viewed itself as the heir to Greek democratic tradition. In many
ways Greek Revival represents the first and perhaps only national
style that, while Greek in inspiration, was wholly American in spirit.
A typical Greek Revival house might be one to two-and-a-half
stories with a low-pitched roof ridge oriented perpendicular to the
street so that its end gable forms the pediment of a classical
temple. To further the temple front motif, a full entablature (cornice,
frieze, and architrave) wraps the entire house or returns deeply
under the gable end. Most often this gable is part of a portico
forming a covered gallery, or galleries, supported by large
columns; while pilasters are also used to express the temple motif.
While such a home typically has a center entry and hallway, Greek
Revival side-hall plans without an end gable pediment were used
when the house was designed to fit narrow and deep lots in urban
areas. In this event, the roof ridge was oriented parallel to the
street and the front covered galleries, supported by temple-like
columns, often incorporated a decorative parapet wall on the
gallery roof above the entablature.
Copyright 2009
Architecture
15
Italianate Style
(1840-1870)
With its roots in rural architecture of northern Italy, the Italianate style dominated
American housing in the years immediately preceding the Civil war. At its most
elaborate, the Italianate house had a low roof, emphatic overhanging eaves with
decorative brackets, an entrance portico, round-headed windows with ornate
hood pediments, corner quoins, arcaded porches, roof-top cupola and balustrade
balconies.
The development of cast-iron and pressed metal technology in the mid-19th
century permitted the economical mass production of decorative features that few
could have afforded in handcrafted wood or stone.
Italianate style is associated with both Antebellum and Victorian eras.
Copyright 2009
Architecture
16
Federal Style
(1760-1830)
The Federal style became popular along the Eastern seaboard
shortly after the American Revolution. This style was largely the
result of European ideas promoted in England by the architect
Robert Adam.
The new style was a more restrained interpretation of the
Georgian house. Federal houses are characterized by balance,
symmetry and elegance. The most common plan was a simple
rectangle; however more complex houses were composed of a
central block with flanking wings.
Federal houses have few elaborations besides the front entry
area, but they may include embellishments such as flat or raised
lintels over the rectilinear windows and roof-line balustrades.
Americans embraced the Federal style as they believed it
provided an appropriate architecture for both commoners and
the privileged.
Federal style is associated with both Antebellum and Colonial
eras.
Copyright 2009
Architecture
17
Classical Revival Style
(1770-1830)
The Classical Revival style continued the American tradition of
building homes based on principles of classical architecture.
The character of Classical Revival houses is formal and orderly with
a composed relationship among all the parts. Spacing of windows,
dormers, doors, porches and columns are all based on Classical
proportions. Simple forms and delicately formed elements bring
both dignity and grandeur to the front facades.
In small Southern towns, the majority of Classical Revival houses
were built with white clapboard siding, while red brick or painted
stucco siding was typically used in larger cities.
Classical Revival style is associated with both Antebellum and
Colonial eras.
Copyright 2009
Architecture
18
French Colonial Style
(1699-1840)
The Mississippi River Valley was populated by the French who
had settled Canada and the West Indies. Those from the north
brought their low houses with steep hipped roofs and memories of
French Renaissance architecture, while those settling via the
Caribbean responded to the hot, humid climate, building large
one-room-deep houses with high ceilings, breeze-aligned
openings, and deep galleries shading the walls from sunlight
while protecting them from rain.
Raising the main floor provided an airspace, helping protect the
house from dampness and insects; while in flood-prone areas
having a raised first-level minimized water damage to living
quarters. In many cases, the ground level contained rooms for
non-living service areas such as the kitchen and storage bins.
French Colonial houses are characterized by simple forms: a
rectangular house, one to two stories high with a steeply pitched
hipped or double-hipped roof extending 8 to 12 feet beyond the
walls to form deep galleries, often on all four sides of the house.
The lack of internal hallways, along with breeze-aligned openings,
allowed maximum air circulation. High ceilings from 10 to 12 feet
on the main floor permitted tall windows and doors to increase
airflow. Doors to rooms opened directly onto the outside galleries
and most often a door and window were combined.
French Colonial style is associated with both Antebellum and
Colonial eras.
Copyright 2009
Architecture
19
Regency Style
(1811-1830)
The Regency style of architecture flourished during the regency
and reign of George IV in England. The Regency period began in
1811 when the severe illness of George III led to the Regency Act,
causing his eldest son to become de facto sovereign as Prince
Regent. In 1820, the Prince Regent became George IV, following
the death of his father, and reigned as King of England until his
own death in 1830.
In 1811, the Prince Regent commissioned a sweeping scheme by
architect John Nash to develop a large area of London covering
the present Regent’s Park, Trafalgar Square, St, James Park and
Regent Street. Nash subsequently became the court architect.
During this period of urban development, the Regency style of
architecture and art was chiefly defined by Nash as he transformed
the face of London.
The style closely follows neo-classical Georgian, adding an
enriched elegance and lightness of touch, while often introducing
contrasting curved surfaces. Proportions are kept simple, relying
on clean, classical lines for effect rather than overly decorative
details. Many buildings of the Regency style have a white or tan
painted stucco facade with the front entryway having a black door
framed by columns supporting a portico. Bay windows and
balconies were often used as they were in vogue during the early
19th century in Britain.
Copyright 2009
Architecture
20
Colonial Era
Although the majority of Sweet Bottom houses are from the Antebellum era, some are inspired by classic homes built during the
Colonial era when England, Spain and France had colonies scattered across America. It’s virtually impossible to characterize a
uniform style for the Colonial era of architecture between 1607 and 1800. Early American Colonial architecture varied considerably
from region to region; its influences depending on the nationalities of the settlers. The uncomplicated styles of American Colonial
era architecture and decoration are distinctive for their multiple influences and diverse regional applications.
As the population increased and regional influences intermingled, the Georgian
style emerged based primarily on forms popularized in England. Georgian
homes incorporated characteristics designed as high-style, formal dwellings
and preceded the more restrained and elegant Federal style used in both late
American Colonial and early Antebellum periods.
Colonial era homes contain these common identifying features:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Symmetrical and rectilinear architectural form
Portico located at front door entrance
Narrow side windows flanking and/or over front door
Gabled or hipped roofs
Double-hung windows with 9-12 panes per sash
Paired Chimneys
Roof balustrade
Copyright 2009
Architecture
21
Georgian Style
(1720-1840)
Georgian architecture is the name given to the set of architectural styles
named for the British monarchs George I-IV who reigned in continuous
succession from 1714 to 1830.
Georgian architecture is characterized by its proportion and balance. For
example, simple mathematical ratios were used to determine the height of a
window in relation to its width or the shape of a room. "Regular" was a term
of approval, implying symmetry and adherence to classical rules. Regularity
of house fronts along a street was a desirable feature of Georgian town
planning. Georgian designs usually lay within the Classical orders of
architecture and employed a decorative vocabulary derived from ancient
Rome or Greece. The most common building materials used are brick or
stone. Commonly used exterior wall colors were brick red, tan, or white.
Georgian style was usually defined by the wall color that contrasted with
white used for window trimming and cornices. The entrances were often
emphasized by a portico, a fanlight, a dark colored door and possibly a
decorative crown. A Palladian window on the second floor above the entry
was also used for contrasting emphasis. Another trait of the style is paired
chimneys connected by a roof-top balustrade.
Establishment of Georgian architecture was to a large degree aided by the
fact it was primarily spread via the new medium of inexpensive suites of
engravings. From the mid-18th century, Georgian styles were assimilated
into an architectural vernacular that became part and parcel of the training of
every architect, designer, builder, carpenter, mason and plasterer.
Georgian style is associated with both Colonial and Antebellum eras.
Copyright 2009
Architecture
22
Victorian Era
In addition to homes from the Antebellum and Colonial eras, the
Victorian era is also represented in Sweet Bottom. The Victorian
era of architecture occurred in America primarily between 1865
and 1900 during which time Queen Victoria reigned in England.
However, due to its popularity in America, the period continued to
have influence into the 1920s. The great variety of styles during
this era can be overwhelming making it difficult to find a “pure’
example of Victorian architecture due to the mixing and matching
of many designs.
Several styles differing widely in appearance make up the Victorian
era including: Italianate, Colonial Revival, Queen Anne, Second
Empire, Eastlake and Romanesque Revival. In general, common
elements between these styles include an emphasis on variation
and exaggeration.
Fundamentally, architecture and design embody tension between
structure, utility and appearance – in other words, between stability, usefulness and delight. This triad represents the fundamental
dilemma continually addressed by architects and designers. However, during the last half of the 19th century this condition was
compounded by changing demands, advancing technology and the Industrial Revolution making possible a multiplication of stylistic
choices.
The result was an era expressing the contradictory factors of “uncertainty” and “boldness”. Uncertainty equated to “dilemma of style”
and boldness to “display of confidence”. This contrary combination resulted in eclectic and extreme, yet delightful and compelling,
architecture and design. The Victorian era houses in Sweet Bottom are represented by Italianate and Colonial Revival styles.
Copyright 2009
Architecture
23
Colonial Revival Style
(1870-1920)
The Colonial Revival style was initiated as part of the Victorian era
and borrowed heavily from early American architecture – particularly
elaborate Georgian style buildings – and was largely an outgrowth of
pride in America’s past and an interest in historic preservation.
In its early stage, the Colonial Revival style remained the exclusive
domain of fashionable architectural firms – such as McKim, Mead and
White – and was favored for the large residences of wealthy clients.
The Colonial Revival building was more often a combination of various
earlier Colonial era styles put together with updated elements.
Generally a Colonial Revival house is larger than its Colonial era
counterpart with some of the individual architectural elements
exaggerated and out of proportion with other parts of the house.
Copyright 2009
Architecture
24
Character Elements
Copyright 2009
25
Copyright 2009
Common Areas
26
Copyright 2009
Fountains
27
Copyright 2009
Fountains
28
Copyright 2009
Landscaping
29
Copyright 2009
Landscaping
30
Copyright 2009
Landscaping
31
Copyright 2009
Landscaping
32
Copyright 2009
Landscaping
33
Copyright 2009
Landscaping
34
Copyright 2009
Landscaping
35
Copyright 2009
Landscaping
36
Copyright 2009
Landscaping
37
Copyright 2009
Landscaping
38
Copyright 2009
Landscaping
39
Copyright 2009
Landscaping
40
Copyright 2009
Landscaping
41
Copyright 2009
Landscaping
42
Copyright 2009
Landscaping
43
Copyright 2009
Landscaping
44
Copyright 2009
Porches
45
Copyright 2009
Porches
46
Copyright 2009
Porches
47
Copyright 2009
Exterior Details 48
Copyright 2009
Exterior Details 49
Copyright 2009
Exterior Details 50
Copyright 2009
Exterior Details 51
Copyright 2009
Exterior Details 52
Copyright 2009
Exterior Details 53
Copyright 2009
Exterior Details 54
Copyright 2009
Exterior Details 55
Copyright 2009
Exterior Details 56
Copyright 2009
Exterior Details 57
Copyright 2009
Exterior Details 58
Copyright 2009
Exterior Details 59
Copyright 2009
Exterior Details 60
Copyright 2009
Exterior Details 61
Copyright 2009
Interior Details 62
Copyright 2009
Interior Details 63
Copyright 2009
Interior Details 64
Copyright 2009
Interior Details 65
Copyright 2009
Interior Details 66
Copyright 2009
Interior Details 67
Copyright 2009
Interior Details 68
Copyright 2009
Interior Details 69
Copyright 2009
Interior Details 70
Copyright 2009
Interior Details 71
Neighborhood Views
Copyright 2009
72
Copyright 2009
Neighborhood Views
73
Copyright 2009
Neighborhood Views
74
Copyright 2009
Neighborhood Views
75
Copyright 2009
Neighborhood Views
76
Copyright 2009
Neighborhood Views
77
Copyright 2009
Neighborhood Views
78
Copyright 2009
Neighborhood Views
79
Copyright 2009
Neighborhood Views
80
Copyright 2009
Neighborhood Views
81
Copyright 2009
Neighborhood Views
82
Copyright 2009
Neighborhood Views
83
Copyright 2009
Neighborhood Views
84
Copyright 2009
Neighborhood Views
85
Copyright 2009
Neighborhood Views
86
Copyright 2009
Neighborhood Views
87
Copyright 2009
Neighborhood Views
88
Copyright 2009
Neighborhood Views
89
Copyright 2009
Neighborhood Views
90
Copyright 2009
Neighborhood Views
91
Copyright 2009
Neighborhood Views
92
Copyright 2009
Neighborhood Views
93
Copyright 2009
Neighborhood Views
94
Inspiration Tour
There are interesting stories behind the
unique personality of each Sweet Bottom
Plantation home. Included in this section
are examples of residences paired with
their particular inspirational home from the
18th and 19th centuries.
In most cases the original house still exists
and many are in the National Register of
Historic Places. The selection of specific
homes in the planning stage of Sweet
Bottom was a task that included visiting the
original locales and taking hundreds of
photos. Each residence was painstakingly
selected not just on its own inspirational
merits, but how it would fit together with its
immediate neighbors as well as the overall
neighborhood concept.
While not every Sweet Bottom Plantation
residence is included in this comparative
tour, the examples shown represent the
breadth and richness of 18th and 19th
century architectural styles in America.
Copyright 2009
95
Muirfield Square - Charleston
.
1720-1840
3961 Muirfield Square
Gibbes House – 64 South Battery, Charleston (1772)
The Georgian style mansion that inspired this Muirfield Square home was built by William Gibbes, a Charleston merchant, ship owner
and planter, sometime between 1772 and 1788. In 1794 the home was purchased by Sarah Smith who remodeled portions of the
building in the Adamesque style, including the front marble steps. The combination of the two styles gives the house its architecturally
rich appearance. Mrs. W. A. Roebling, widow of Washington A. Roebling (who with his father John August Roebling designed and built
the Brooklyn Bridge in 1869-83) purchased the property in the 1920s.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour
96
Muirfield Square - Savannah
.
Era: Antebellum
Style: Italianate (1840-1870)
3951 Muirfield Square
Mercer
This house was based on the Mercer Mansion on Bull Street at Monterey Square in Savannah. The original was built for Hugh W.
Mercer who was a graduate of West Point and the great grandfather of well-known lyricist Johnny Mercer. He resigned his U.S. Army
commission to become a Brigadier General in the Confederate Army. The house was started prior to the Civil War, but not completed
until after the conflict was over. The style is Italianate with a touch of Gothic Revival. Of special note are the beautifully formed dark
hood pediments over the arched windows. In 1969 the original house was purchased by Jim Williams, a Savannah antique dealer,
whose lifestyle inspired the book and movie, “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” in which the house played a significant role.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour
97
Muirfield Square - Charleston
.
Era: Colonial
Style: Charleston Single House (1750 -1900)
3922 Muirfield Square
Fullerton House – 15 Legare Street, Charleston (1772)
This home is based on the Fullerton house on Legare Street at Lafayette Square in Charleston. John Fullerton, who built several fine
houses for others, built this one for himself. Fullerton, born in Scotland, was one of the "Sons of Liberty”, who met in Mazyck's pasture in
1766 to celebrate the repeal of the Stamp Act. He died on the eve of the Revolution and during the war his house was occupied by British
staff officers during the period 1780-82. The home is an early example of the Charleston Single House style incorporating side yard
covered piazzas. The street side contains a front entry to the piazza, while the main house doorway is actually located further down the
side of the building within the piazza.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour
98
Muirfield Square – San Francisco
.
Era: Victorian
Style: Italianate (1840 -1870)
3934 Muirfield Square
Casebolt House – 2727 Pierce Street, San Francisco, CA (1865)
This impressive Italianate home is the only Sweet Bottom residence inspired by a historic West coast mansion. It was built in San
Francisco for Henry Casebolt, a Virginia blacksmith who made his fortune in the California Gold Rush. Massive timbers salvaged
from sailing ships support its four corners. The rusticated, white wood exterior was originally speckled with dark tones to mimic a
stone finish over the beveled faux stone siding. One of the later owners was the prominent architect William Mooser, whose eldest
son designed most of the Ghirardelli Square buildings. The house in Sweet Bottom was used as a set in the 1991 TV movie
“Carolina Skeletons” based on the prize-winning novel by David Stout and starring Louis Gossett, Jr.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour
99
Muirfield Square - Savannah
.
Era: Antebellum
Style: Federal (1780-1830)
3940 Muirfield Square
Davenport House - 324 East State Street, Savannah (1820)
This Federal style home is based on a home in Savannah built by master builder Isaiah Davenport as his family residence. The 1820
house also served as a showcase for Davenport’s work. He lived in the home with his family until his death from Yellow Fever in 1827.
The structure was slated for demolition in 1955 to make room for a parking lot when seven prominent Savannah women banded
together to raise money for its purchase. Saving the Davenport house from the wrecking ball was the founding act of the Historic
Savannah Foundation which became instrumental in preserving the city’s architectural history.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour 100
Muirfield Square - Charleston
.
Era: Colonial
Style: Georgian (1720-1840)
3952 Muirfield Square
Brewton House - 27 King Street, Charleston (1769)
This residence was inspired by a home built by Ezra Waite for Charleston merchant Miles Brewton. It was said to represent one of the
most perfect examples of Georgian architecture in America and one of the finest examples of a double house (referencing the
arrangement of four main rooms per floor) in Charleston. The ornate designs in the cornice and door surround are the work of English
woodcarvers and the two-story portico with elliptical fanlight over the entry was among the earliest of its kind in the country. The house
was occupied by two military forces: The British Army during the Revolutionary War and the United States Army during the Civil War.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour 101
Muirfield Square - Savannah
.
Era: Colonial
Style: Georgian (1720-1840)
3958 Muirfield Square
Habersham House – 23 Abercorn Street, Savannah (1771)
The inspiration for this home was originally known as The Habersham House built for the wealthy planter, James Habersham, Jr. It was
constructed from a soft, Georgia red brick which eventually bled through the white plastered exterior walls and changed the color to pink.
Thereafter it was known as “The Pink House” and became a Savannah landmark. During the American Revolutionary period the house
was used for many secret meetings to help plan freeing the Colonies from British rule. Today it is home to one of Savannah’s finest
restaurants and still retains its pink color.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour 102
Muirfield Square - Savannah
.
Era: Antebellum
Style: Italianate (1840-1870)
3964 Muirfield Square
Low House – 329 Abercorn Street, Savannah (1849)
The original of this home on Muirfield Square was built by John Norris for Andrew Low, one of the richest cotton merchants in the South.
Juliette Gordon Low, wife of their son Phillip, founded the Girl Scouts of America in 1912. Juliette and Philip occupied the house from
1886-1927. A frequent guest in this house between 1853 and 1856 was the famous English writer William Makepeace Thackeray who
wrote “Vanity Fair” satirizing society in early 19th century England. The architect John Norris of New York also designed the Mercer
House in Savannah. The style is Italianate with cupola, emphatic eaves and two distinctly opposing square pilasters and round columns
supporting the front pediment, This front portico design is referred to as “Tower of the Winds”, from a classical Greek structure in Athens.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour 103
St. Andrew’s Square - New Orleans
.
Era: Victorian
Style: Colonial Revival (1870-1940)
4071 St. Andrew’s Square
6000 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans (1895)
This residence on St. Andrews Square was inspired by a late 19th century Colonial Revival home in the Uptown section of New Orleans.
It was designed by architect Thomas Sully, whose other designs in New Orleans included the St. Charles Hotel. Sully was the grand
nephew and namesake of the famous portrait painter Thomas Sully, whose subjects included John Quincy Adams, Marquis de Lafayette,
Thomas Jefferson and Queen Victoria. The Colonial Revival style spanned the 19th and 20th centuries, although from 1870 to 1900 the
Colonial theme was typically married with more elaboration.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour 104
.
Turnberry Court - New Orleans
Era: Antebellum
Style: Greek Revival (1820-1860)
Court
1236 First Street, New Orleans (1847)
This 2 story house was based on a Greek Revival three-bay, side hall plan originally designed to limit 19th century property tax liability
as determined by street frontage. An original example of this style was one of the first homes in the New Orleans Garden District
designed by James Gallier, Sr. in 1847 for John W. Gayle. The layout runs deep with additional area gained by extending rooms into rear
side yards and making a half-story in the center. Round, unfluted Greek Revival columns support the double covered galleries and are
crowned with classical Corinthian acanthus leaf capitals, while the graceful cast-iron railing adds a touch of romance. Gallery ceilings of
the Sweet Bottom house are painted pale blue “to ward off flying insects and evil spirits”, as dictated by New Orleans folklore.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour 105
.
Turnberry Court - New Orleans
Era: Antebellum
Style: Greek Revival (1820-1860)
3786 Turnberry Court
Adams-Jones House - 2423 Prytania Street,
New Orleans (1861)
This elegant home was inspired by the five-bay, center hall, raised cottage style designed by Frederick Wing for merchant John I. Adams
on the eve of the Civil War. Raised on brick piers, the front entrance is accessed by a central stair. This Greek Revival raised cottage was
a popular Garden District style in the 19th century. The roof-top parapet wall enhances the gallery while restrained ornamentation creates
an overall serene and laconic effect. Many center hall raised cottages included dormer windows which allowed for increased living area in
the attic area.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour 106
.
Turnberry Court - New Orleans
Era: Antebellum
Style: Greek Revival (1820-1860)
Original Mansion
3816 Turnberry Court
Disney Concept
Haunted Mansion
The unique inspiration for this house was the Haunted Mansion located at Disneyland’s New Orleans Square in Anaheim, California.
Disney’s design is based on an Antebellum Greek Revival southern plantation home built mid-19th century. Details included crinolinefashioned lentils and very elaborate cast iron work along both galleries. The cast-iron work on the Sweet Bottom residence comes from
the same foundry that manufactured the Disney pieces. Children enjoy this home as it provides a special atmosphere on Halloween.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour 107
Era: Victorian
Style: Italianate (1840-1870)
3850 St. Elisabeth Square
.
St. Elisabeth Square - New Orleans
Carroll House - 1315 First Street, New Orleans (1870)
The inspiration for this residence was the Carroll House in the Garden District designed by Samuel Jamison. It was built for Joseph
Carroll, a Virginian who became one of the most successful cotton merchants in New Orleans. This spectacular home has many
elaborate Italianate features, especially the ornate cast-iron work on the double galleries. In the postwar years, many Garden District
homes took on a more romantic look with such ornamentation and by the late 1860s, a great amount of architectural cast-iron was being
produced in local New Orleans foundries. The Sweet Bottom home also has a carriage house based on the New Orleans original,
including a representation of the original’s exterior stucco deterioration.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour 108
.
St. Elisabeth Square - New Orleans
Era: Antebellum
Style: Greek Revival (1820-1860)
3890 St. Elisabeth Square
1415 Third Street, New Orleans (1859)
This dramatic Garden District house style was based on a five-bay, center entry hall plan with uniquely curved front corners: a unique
design by architect James Gallier, Jr. in 1859. The original house was built for Walter G. Robinson who was in the tobacco business
and came to New Orleans from Virginia. Both upper and lower covered galleries feature, bold rhythmic cast-iron railings with four
majestic round columns and two side pilasters. The massive entablature is a special feature incorporating dentils and triglyphs, while
an ornamental parapet wall rests on the roof. The interior detailing is said to be one of the most elaborate in New Orleans.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour 109
Era: Antebellum
Style: Italianate (1840-1870)
3900 St. Elisabeth Square
.
St. Elisabeth Square - New Orleans
Grinnan House – 2221 Prytania Street, New Orleans (1850)
The inspiration for this residence was a Garden District home built in 1850 for Robert A. Grinnan who had moved to New Orleans from
England. It was designed by the Irish-American architect Henry Howard. Windows were specified as French cylinder glass and all doors
were Santa Domingo mahogany with silver-plated hardware. The most unique feature of the house was the first shower, or “rain bath”,
in New Orleans. The Italianate style is distinctive by its pronounced characteristics, such as the exaggerated gallery roof detailing,
hood-type window pediments and low-pitched roof. Italianate style became more popular than Greek Revival by the late 1860s due in
part to the development of cast-iron and press-metal technology making the production of decorative elements more affordable.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour 110
Era: Antebellum
Style: Federal (1780-1830)
3929 St. Elisabeth Square
.
St. Elisabeth Square - New Orleans
Hermann-Grima House – 820 Saint Louis Street, New Orleans (1831)
This home design was based on the historic Hermann-Grima House in the Vieux Carre designed by architect William Brand. Originally
built for Samuel Hermann, the property was purchased in 1844 by local judge and civic leader Felix Grima, whose descendents stayed
until 1921. The building was styled during construction to reflect local influences, such as adding the front and rear balconies which are
not part of the formal Federal Style. Details include the symmetrical facade, double-hung windows and white granite lintels above the
windows. There was also a rear courtyard garden with outdoor kitchen and stable area.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour 111
St. Elisabeth Square - New Orleans
3969 St. Elisabeth Square
.
Era: Antebellum
Style: Italianate (1840-1870)
1205 Philip Street, New Orleans (circa 1850)
This home on Philip Street near Camp Street in the Uptown section of New Orleans reflects a mix of styles. Such an approach was
not uncommon in the Garden District as wealthy owners strove to create a residential design that was uniquely theirs. The first floor
gallery with its rhythmic, Italianate curved arches and bold square columns are in contrast to the more delicate sets of linear, double
round columns on the second level gallery The result is a composition of stark differences that creates drama, interest and harmony.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour 112
Era: Antebellum
Style: Greek Revival (1820-1860)
3980 St. Elisabeth Square
.
St. Elisabeth Square - New Orleans
Buckner House – 1410 Jackson Avenue,
New Orleans (1857)
The inspiration for this home was designed by Lewis E. Reynolds for Henry S. Buckner, a prominent leader in the cotton business. With
galleries open on the front and sides employing a system of Ionic and Corinthian columns extending from ground level to entablature, a
dramatic sense of rhythm and airiness is emphasized. The deep, wrap around galleries and elegant scale of the columns echo French
Colonial influence while the fundamental style is Greek Revival. Delicate cast-iron railings, covering both galleries on all sides, complete
the feeling of elegance. The original Garden District house area was over 20,000 square feet.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour 113
Era: Colonial
Style: Georgian (1720 -1840)
.
Pinehurst Way - Portsmouth
3927 Pinehurst Way
Moffat-Ladd House – 154 Market Street, Portsmouth, NH
(1763)
Pinehurst Way was inspired by several East coast homes and this residence was based on a Georgian style home in Portsmouth,
New Hampshire. Built for a successful merchant in 1763, this mansion was located directly opposite the family's waterfront wharves
and warehouses on the Piscatagua River. William Whipple, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and husband of Katherine
Moffatt, lived and died in this house. The Sweet Bottom house has four distinctly different second story window pediments which
help to emphasize the more elaborate center window detail above the portico pediment.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour 114
Era: Colonial
Style: Georgian (1720 -1840)
3929 Pinehurst Way
.
Pinehurst Way - Annapolis
Chase-Lloyd House – 22 Maryland Avenue, Annapolis, MD (1774)
Annapolis, Maryland is where the original version of this Sweet Bottom home is located. Built in 1774, it was one of the first three-story
Georgian townhouses built in the American Colonies and ranks as one of the finest of its type. The front entryway is a Palladian motif
with a fanlight topping the door, flanked by two panels of sidelights. These three window openings are framed by two Ionic columns and
two Ionic pilasters which support an entablature that becomes an open pediment above the door. The red brick walls are adorned with
belt courses of red brick at the floor levels and the center projecting pavilion is crowned by a pediment with red brick facing.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour 115
Era: Colonial
Style: Federal (1760-1830)
3931 Pinehurst Way
.
Pinehurst Way - Salem
Peirce-Nichols House - 80 Federal Street, Salem, MA
(1782-1801)
The inspiration for this home was the Peirce-Nichols House in Salem, Massachusetts built for Jerathmiel Peirce in 1782 and finished in
1801. It was designed by Samuel McIntire. Peirce was a successful merchant and the largest India trader in the U.S. The third story is
effectively foreshortened and large ornamental Doric corner pilasters are a major exterior feature. The first and second story window
openings are capped with simple molded flat hoods, positioned above plain entablatures and the front entry is a classic Doric portico.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour 116
Era: Colonial
Style: Georgian (1720-1840)
3813 St. Anne’s Court
.
St. Anne’s Court - Savannah
Mongin – Carswell House – 24 Habersham Street, Savannah (1797)
This residence was inspired by a house built in 1797 for John Mongin, a planter of Sea Island cotton. The structure originally faced
Savannah’s Warren Square, named for the Revolutionary War hero who died at Bunker Hill. In 1876, the house served as a hospital
during Savannah’s Yellow Fever epidemic. It was relocated in the 1960s to an adjacent corner of Habersham Street and restored.
The Georgian design has an entry portico with pediment and is supported by twin Doric columns. A narrow entablature with triglyphic
detailing extends across the front elevation, adding a classic architectural element.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour 117
Era: Antebellum
Style: Italianate (1840-1870)
3823 St. Anne’s Court
.
St. Anne’s Court - Savannah
204 East Jones St. Street, Savannah (1860)
Built in 1860 for Abraham Minis II, the original Savannah house was designed by architect Stephen Decatur Button. A well-known
Northeastern classicist, Button designed numerous buildings in the South including the Alabama State Capitol building in Montgomery.
His pioneering work with metal-frame/skeletal structures was 30 years before the method was first used in tall office buildings. Button’s
commercial building design in Philadelphia significantly influenced the architecture of Louis Sullivan, known as “the father of modernism”.
However, Button’s impact on Sullivan was not recognized by historians until the mid-20th century. Upon relocating his family from
Philadelphia to Camden, New Jersey, Button’s next-door neighbor was the American poet Walt Whitman.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour 118
.
St. Anne’s Court - Savannah
Era: Antebellum
Style: Federal (1760-1830)
3848 St. Anne’s Court
504 East St. Julian Street, Savannah (1842)
The Savannah inspiration for this Sweet Bottom home was built in 1842 for Anne Pittman. Although this Federal-style frame house
was built during the Antebellum era (1800-1865), its design relates directly to detailing, scale and proportion of neighboring Federal
houses built in the Colonial era (1607-1800). The Washington Square location of this home lies between the Trustee’s Garden and
the business district and includes a mixture of frame and brick structures with frame-type dominating. The Sweet Bottom house
employs quoins on the front corners, adding a feeling of strength.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour 119
The Battery - Savannah
.
Era: Antebellum
Style: Regency (1811-1830)
3870 The Battery
Richardson-Owens-Thomas House – 329 Abercorn
Street, Savannah (1819)
The Savannah inspiration for this elegant home is considered to be one of the finest examples of Regency architecture in America. It
was created by the British architect William Jay who was commissioned by Bermuda-born Richard Richardson, a Savannah banker and
merchant. The concept is a rich interpretation of classical forms which trace their way through Regency England to the late Renaissance
of Palladio to antiquity. Jay’s opulent design was quite the sensation in Savannah. This unique house was built on a trust lot overlooking
Oglethorpe Square and is where Revolutionary War hero Marquis de Lafayette spoke to the public on his last trip to America in 1825.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour 120
The Battery - Charleston
.
Era: Antebellum
Style: Charleston Single House (1750 – 1900)
3890 The Battery
5 Legare Street, Charleston (1830)
The original house is located in one of Charleston’s most fashionable neighborhoods. It is an excellent example of the classic
Charleston Single House designed with covered piazzas extending down the entire length of one side. The concept was to take
advantage of narrow urban lots in Charleston by creating long covered areas to provide shade and respite from the heat and humidity
as well as channels to catch sea breezes for cross-ventilation. From the piazzas you could also view the side courtyard and garden
area below.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour 121
The Battery - Charleston
.
Era: Antebellum
Style: Charleston Single House (1750-1900) / Greek Revival (1820-1860)
3940 The Battery
Roper House - 9 The Battery, Charleston (1838)
The original house is on the Battery in Charleston commanding a sweeping view of the harbor. Built for Robert William Roper, a
prominent cotton planter, the house exemplifies the Single House plan utilizing Greek Revival architectural style in a city better known
for its Georgian-style appearance. Roper House was built on a monumental scale, with massive two-story Ionic columns raised above a
first floor arched pedestal base. The unique design embodies the fundamental Charleston Single House form with its side yard piazzas,
but the street-side door opens directly into the house, rather than onto the ground level piazza. The mirrored orientation of the Sweet
Bottom residence was based on site considerations.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour 122
The Battery - New Orleans
.
Era: Victorian
Style: Italianate (1840-1870)
3891 The Battery
Van Benthuysen-Elms Mansion - 3029 St. Charles
Avenue, New Orleans (1869)
The inspiration for this residence in The Battery was a home in New Orleans originally owned by Captain Watson Van Benthuysen, II,
a former New Yorker who served as an officer in the Confederacy. After the war, Van Benthuysen made his fortune in tobacco and wine,
later becoming President of the St. Charles Street Car Company. Design of the house is attributed to non-native architect Lewis E.
Reynolds who designed many beautiful homes in the Garden District. Having large galleries on both front and side elevations provide
this residence with a sense of openness and added dimensionality, while the low-pitched roof with its decorative eave brackets adds an
element of elegance that contrasts with the strength of the corner quoins. The mirrored orientation of the Sweet Bottom residence was
based on site considerations.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour 123
The Battery – Maury County
.
Era: Antebellum
Style: Greek Revival (1820-1860)
3850 The Battery
Rattle and Snap Plantation – Maury County, TN (1845)
This home in The Battery was inspired by the Rattle and Snap Plantation in Tennessee. Built in 1845 for George Polk, it is named after
the “rattle and snap” game of chance in which his father, Colonel William Polk, won 5,648 acres of land from the Governor of North
Carolina. One of five sons to inherit the property, George Polk decided to build a magnificent Antebellum mansion in the Greek Revival
style and develop his parcel into a cotton plantation. Thousands of clay bricks were made on site and the foundation hewn from native
limestone. Ten 26-foot Corinthian columns were cast in Cincinnati and shipped by boat to Nashville, then pulled by oxen-drawn wagon to
the site. The interior has 15-foot ceilings with Waterford chandeliers, hand crafted plaster medallions and exquisite crown moulding.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour 124
The Battery – New Kent County
.
Era: Antebellum
Style: Federal (1760-1830))
3860 The Battery
Hampstead Mansion - New Kent County, VA (1812)
A Federal style brick mansion near Richmond, Virginia inspired this Sweet Bottom residence. Built by planter Colonel Conway Webb in
1812, Hampstead is located on a high bluff overlooking the Pamunkey River. The dramatic two-story pediment portico has four prominent
unfluted columns with attic bases. Around the perimeter beneath the roof line is a triglyphic entablature detail and the front entry has an
elliptical fanlight with side lights. Overall, the architecture strongly represents the Federal style with its classical understatement and
elegant detailing. The architect of Hampstead is thought to be John Holden Greene of Providence, Rhode Island. Greene changed the
face of Providence by designing over fifty buildings, including a church with the largest bell cast in the foundry of Paul Revere and Son.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour 125
Era: Antebellum
Style: Federal (1760-1830)
3978 St. George’s Court
.
St. George’s Court - Charleston
George Chisolm House - 39 East Bay Street,
Charleston (1810)
The inspiration for this elegant home was built in 1810 by George Chisolm, a successful rice mill owner, on two Grand Modell lots first
granted in 1682 by the Lord Proprietor. This Charleston house is located in the bend of the peninsula allowing harbor views. The
design forms an “L” with both columned galleries following that irregular shape, while the strongly patterned gallery railings and 18
pane windows project a contrasting regularity and rhythm. This Federal house was built to accommodate local conditions by adding
two covered galleries to protect against the sun and rain as such galleries are not part of the formal Federal style.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour 126
.
Era: Antebellum
Style: Classical Revival (1770-1830)
.
St. George’s Court - Charleston
3977 St. George’s Court
62 Murray Blvd., Charleston (Circa 1830)
This house is based on a Classical Revival home located on historic Murray Blvd. in Charleston. Positioned along the seawall running
along the southern tip of the peninsula, the Charleston home has a sweeping view of the harbor and Fort Sumter. Houses of this style
were very symmetrical with a simple rectilinear form and minimum detailing, such as the keystone lintels above the windows and doors.
The large, two-story portico has a rooftop parapet and is supported by two sets of four columns. Exterior walls were typically made of
brick, stucco or wood.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour 127
Era: Antebellum
Style: Greek Revival (1820–1860)
4027 St. George’s Court
.
St. George’s Court - Charleston
Bennett House - 69 Barre Street, Charleston (1825)
The inspiration for this St. George’s Court house was the Bennett House built for Governor Thomas Bennett. It is located on Barre
Street in Charleston which was surveyed in 1770 and named in honor of Issac Barre, a revolutionary sponsor of the cause against
“taxation without representation”. A prominent and unique feature of this home is the soft-scalloped arches between the front gallery
columns, echoing Italianate detailing and contrasting with the overall Greek Revival style. The Sweet Bottom home employs a center
front stairway rather than the side stairway of the Bennett House. Another difference is the pair of double columns.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour 128
Sweet Bottom Drive - Georgetown
.
Era: Colonial
Style: Federal (1760-1830)
3807 Sweet Bottom Drive
Dumbarton House – 2715 Q Street NW,
Georgetown, Washington, DC (1799-1804)
This home was inspired by the Dumbarton House in Georgetown completed in 1804. A beautiful brick example of Federal style
architecture, a unique feature are two rounded bays on the back of the home designed for more light. Such rounded design components
were not typical of the Federal style. The first residents were the family of Joseph Nourse, first Register of the U.S. Treasury. In 1814 the
house hosted First Lady Dolley Madison as she fled from the White House when British invaders were approaching. The Dumbarton
House now serves as headquarters for the National Society of Colonial Dames of America.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour 129
Sweet Bottom Drive - Cambridge
.
Era: Colonial
Style: Georgian (1720-1840)
3827 Sweet Bottom Drive
Longfellow House - 105 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA
(1759)
The inspirational Longfellow House with four dominating two-story pilasters was originally built in 1759 by John Vassall, a wealthy
royalist. In 1774, Vassall and his family abandoned the house and fled to British protection in Boston on the eve of the American
Revolution. Later, the house was used by George Washington as his headquarters for nine months during the siege of Boston in 177576. During this time he was visited by Benjamin Franklin, Abigail and John Adams, and other revolutionary leaders. Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow, the renowned American poet, occupied the house from 1837 to 1882. Longfellow’s residence was a favorite gathering
place for many prominent philosophers and writers including Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Charles Dickens.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour 130
Era: Antebellum
Style: French Colonial (1699-1840)
3888 Sweet Bottom Drive
.
Sweet Bottom Drive – Bayou Bourbeau
Chretien Point Plantation – Bayou Bourbeau,
Sunset, LA (1831)
This Sweet Bottom home was inspired by the manor house of Chretien Point Plantation along Bayou Bourbeau in Louisiana. The
mansion was the center of a 3,000 acre cotton plantation built by French Canadian Hypolite Chretien. It was designed so that rooms
fully opened onto the upper and lower galleries, allowing cool breezes to flow throughout the interior spaces. The steep hipped roof is
supported by six Tuscan columns and lunettes grace the tops of all gallery doors and windows. A Civil War battle was fought on
plantation grounds and the home’s staircase design was copied for “Tara” in the film “Gone With the Wind”.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour 131
Era: Victorian
Style: Italianate (1840-1870)
3898 Sweet Bottom Drive
.
Sweet Bottom Drive - Saratoga Springs
George West House – Saratoga Springs, NY (1866)
The inspiration for this home was the Italianate style mansion built in 1866 by George West near Saratoga Springs, New York. Known
as the “Paper Bag King”, West built his 23-room, villa-style estate across from the street from his two mills. Born in England, He came
to America in 1840 where he made his fortune as the inventor of the folded paper bag. Key differences between the Sweet Bottom
house and the original are: single color rather than dual color scheme and enclosed side room rather than open side porch.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour 132
Era: Antebellum
Style: Greek Revival (1820-1860)
.
Sweet Bottom Drive - Milledgeville
3908 Sweet Bottom Drive
Westover Plantation – Milledgeville, GA
(1822)
This home was inspired by Westover Plantation, a Greek Revival plantation located in Milledgeville, Georgia and built by Colonel
Lee Jordan in 1822. Employing a classic Greek pediment, the texture and proportion are enhanced by a triglyphic entablature detail
running under the roof line around the house perimeter, as well as within the gable end pediment and around the covered gallery.
The front door is side-lighted with transom and a matching door above opens to the second level balcony. While Westover had twin
sets of two-story Doric columns, the Sweet Bottom house has twin sets of one-story Doric columns and a second level, open-air
balcony with Doric pilasters.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour 133
Era: Colonial
Style: Early Georgian (1695-1720)
3866 Sweet Bottom Drive
.
Sweet Bottom Drive - Williamsburg
Raleigh Tavern – Duke of Gloucester Street,
Williamsburg, VA (1717)
An historic Williamsburg, Virginia tavern was the inspiration for this home. The Raleigh Tavern, built in 1717 and named after Sir Walter
Raleigh, witnessed more extraordinary political meetings and brilliant festivity than any other such place in Colonial America. It grew
into a popular meeting place for the revolutionary patriots and the center of 18th century Virginia society. Frequent visitors were Thomas
Jefferson and George Washington and the Phi Beta Kappa Honors Society was founded there in 1776. The basic architecture, like other
Williamsburg buildings, followed Georgian design. However, form and details were somewhat simplified and scale reduced as a
reluctance to be showy.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour 134
Sweet Bottom Drive - Nashville
.
Era: Antebellum
Style: Greek Revival (1820-1860)
3997 Sweet Bottom Drive
Belle Meade Mansion – 5025 Harding Pike,
Nashville, TN (1854)
This home was inspired by Belle Meade Mansion in Nashville, Tennessee originally built in 1820 as a Federal style house for John
Harding, a prominent land owner and thoroughbred horse breeder. In 1853, the floor plan was extended and doubled in size by
Philadelphia architect William Strickland for John’s son, General Wiles Harding. At that time an imposing front façade was added with
six two-story limestone columns from Harding’s quarry thereby transforming the style from Federal to Greek Revival. The Sweet Bottom
orientation is a mirror image of the original based on site considerations. Wider front entry steps and elegant fanlights above the left
flanking windows were also added.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour 135
Sweet Bottom Drive – Berkeley County
.
Era: Antebellum
Style: French Colonial (1699-1840)
4008 Sweet Bottom Drive
Dean Hall Plantation – Berkeley County, SC ( 1827)
The inspiration for this home was Dean Hall Plantation in South Carolina. First settled in 1725 by Alexander Nesbitt of Dean, Scotland, the
land was sold by Nesbitt’s heirs to William Augustus Carson in 1821 and new plantation house was built in 1827 from brick made at
Medway Plantation across the Back River. Carson soon developed his rice plantation property to the extent it resembled “a well ordered
village”. The encircling deep gallery enabled the owner to keep an eye on the work in the rice fields and surrounding grounds The house
was 1 stories built over a raised basement with an exterior arched arcade. The service areas, kitchens, and storerooms were located
on this ground level. The roof is a cross gable, flanked front and rear with dormers. Divided fanlights are set in the front and rear gables.
Copyright 2009
Inspiration Tour 136
Activities
138
139
Recreation
Clubhouse & Tennis Courts
Pool & Playground
140
141
142
143
Events
Halloween Parade
House Decorations
July 4th Picnic
Christmas Party
144
Contact
Copyright 2009
137
Tennis courts, clubhouse, pool and
playground provide facilities for
residents and their guests to enjoy
recreational activities and events.
For holidays, residents celebrate
with neighborhood gatherings and
traditional house decorations.
Copyright 2009
Recreation 138
Pool
Playground
Copyright 2009
Recreation 139
Halloween Parade
Copyright 2009
Events 140
Houses like to “dress up” too!
Copyright 2009
Events 141
July 4th
Picnic
Copyright 2009
Events 142
Christmas Party
Copyright 2009
Events 143
Contact
For additional information, or to reach the Sweet Bottom
Plantation Homeowners Association, contact:
Access Management Group
770-777-6890 ext. 140
jthisdale@accessmgt.com
Copyrighted photographs and text in this document are for educational,
reference or personal use.
Use of copyrighted photographs for commercial or editorial purposes
may by allowed, subject to conditions, by obtaining permission in writing
from the Sweet Bottom Plantation Homeowners Association.
Photographs Copyright 2000-2009 by the respective photographers . Permission granted to
Sweet Bottom Plantation Homeowners Association WR use SKRWRJUDSKVLQWKLVGRFXPHQWIRU
HGXFDWLRQDODQGUHIHUHQFHSXUSRVHV+LVWRULFDOLQVSLUDWLRQSKRWRJUDSKVE\RWKHUVRXUFHVDUH
XVHGXQGHUSXEOLFGRPDLQDQGIDLUXVHODZ
All Rights Reserved. No unauthorized reproductionRUdistributionRIRULJLQDOSKRWRJUDSK\IRU
FRPPHUFLDORUHGLWRULDOSXUSRVHVZLWKRXWwritten permission from Sweet Bottom Plantation
HomeownersAssociation.
Copyright 2009
144