THE SURVIVAL OF WOOD FRAME HOUSES (1904)
It doesn’t matter whether you view the “before” or the “after” image first.
Either way, it can come as a shock how much the facade of a building can change over time.
In 1904, when the houses were about 30-40 years old, the estate of Harold Dusenberry was selling four of them – Nos. 405, 407, 407A, and 409 Monroe Street. The four 3-story frame dwellings ended up being sold to an “investment company.”
Comparing this picture to the current image from Google Maps below, here are five major differences we’ve noticed:
1) The house all the way to the left, No. 405, has been torn down and replaced with a “Fedders” mansion.
2) The other attached wood-frame houses, which still exist, have had their original details stripped or covered over the years.
3) Most of the cornices seem covered with vinyl siding.
4) The ornate porches have been stripped of their wood.
5) And their iron fences, though mostly present, are missing gates and sections.
What other differences do you see?
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Brownstone Detectives is an historic property research agency. Our mission is to document and save the histories of our clients’ homes. From our research, we produce our celebrated House History Books and House History Reports. Contact us today to begin discovering the history of your home.
