Charles Bullis House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Charles Bullis House
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Charles Bullis House, July 2015
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1727 Canandaigua Rd., Macedon, New York |
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| Area | 6 acres (2.4 ha) |
| Built | 1839 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Federal, Cobblestone house |
| NRHP reference No. | 86000483 |
| Added to NRHP | March 20, 1986 |
The Charles Bullis House is a very old and special home located in Macedon, New York. It's in Wayne County, New York. This house is unique because it's built from small, rounded stones called cobblestones. It was built around 1839.
The house has a main part that is two stories tall. It also has a smaller, one-and-a-half-story wooden section. This house is one of about 170 cobblestone buildings still standing in Wayne County. Because of its history and special way of building, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.
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Why is the Charles Bullis House Special?
The Charles Bullis House is a great example of how homes were built in the 1800s. It shows a special building style called cobblestone architecture. This type of building was mostly found in Western and Central New York before the Civil War.
The house mixes two popular styles from the 1830s: Federal and Greek Revival. Its location was also important. It sits near the Erie Canal (now the Barge Canal). It is also on an old road that connected Macedon to Lake Ontario. This made it easy for farmers to move their goods.
Who Built the Charles Bullis House?
The house was built by Charles H. Bullis and his family. In November 1838, Charles, his wife Ellen, and their children left Vermont. They were traveling to Ohio. They stopped in Macedon, New York, to visit Charles's sister. They liked the area so much that they decided to stay.
On April 1, 1839, Charles bought a 59-acre farm. It was right next to the Erie Canal. Charles was a farmer, like many people who moved from New England. He was looking for better farmland. In Macedon, he found good soil and a mild climate. This was perfect for growing crops like wheat and corn. The nearby canal also made it easy to send his farm products to markets.
How Was the House Built?
When the Bullis family first moved to the farm, they probably lived in a small wooden building. This building might have been moved from an old Erie Canal work camp. It was located where the wooden part of the house is now.
Building the main cobblestone house started in 1839 and finished in 1842. The family likely collected the small fieldstones from their own farm. The mortar used back then dried much slower than today's cement. It is thought that the person who built the house might have also worked on the Erie Canal. This is because canal workers were skilled masons.
The wooden section of the house was replaced around 1845. This new section was one-and-a-half stories tall.
The Bullis Family and the House
In 1863, Charles Bullis gave the farm to his son, Dr. Abraham Bullis. Abraham was a doctor in a nearby town. Charles's wife Ellen and daughter Emma continued to live in the house.
After Charles and Abraham passed away, the property went to Abraham's son, Abraham R. Bullis. He was a civil engineer. His children, Charles and Nettie, owned the house until they died in the 1970s.
Later, six acres of the property were given to the Landmark Society. The rest of the land went to the town of Macedon. This land is now Bullis Park. In 1984, the Charles Bullis House was sold as a private family home.
The Unique Style of Cobblestone Houses
The Charles Bullis House is a great example of early cobblestone architecture. This building style is mostly found in Central and Western New York. This is because of two main reasons:
- Stones from the Ice Age: About 40,000 years ago, glaciers left behind many cobble-sized stones. These stones are found all over the southern Lake Ontario area. About 60% of New York's cobblestone buildings are in this region.
- Limestone for Mortar: This area also has a lot of limestone. This rock was used to make a special cement for the Erie Canal. It was also a key ingredient for the mortar used in cobblestone houses.
Many people believe that the skilled masons who built cobblestone homes also worked on the Erie Canal. The time when cobblestone houses were built (from about 1825 to 1860) matches the time the canal was being built and improved.
The Charles Bullis House shows the early style of cobblestone building (around 1825-1845). It has rows of rough, rounded fieldstones. These stones are separated by horizontal mortar lines that stick out in a "V" shape. Most cobblestone houses used limestone or sandstone for corners and window tops. But the Charles Bullis House is special. It is one of only eight cobblestone buildings in Wayne County that uses bricks for these parts.
While cobblestone buildings were used for many things like churches, schools, and barns, most were farmhouses. Farmers built these homes after clearing their land for crops. They became successful because the canal made it easy to sell their goods. They used the many cobblestones and skilled masons to build these unique homes.
Architectural Details of the House
Even though it was built in 1839, when the Greek Revival style was popular, the Charles Bullis House still has many features of the Federal style. This was common for cobblestone farmhouses built before 1840. It combines details from both styles.
The house has a rectangular shape and a low-pitched roof. These are typical Federal style features. Its windows are placed evenly, and it has semi-circular louvered fans in the gables (the triangular parts of the wall under the roof). The chimneys are inside, at the ends of the house. The corners of the house and the tops of the windows also have special decorative elements.
The front doorway is well-balanced. It has side windows and narrow columns. Inside, the trim around the doors and windows, and the simple fireplace mantels, show the Greek Revival influence. The elegant staircase railing and the molded trim in some rooms are also classic Federal details.
