Matthew McCrea House facts for kids
The Matthew McCrea House is a special old home in Circleville, Ohio, United States. It's known for its unique mix of two cool building styles: Greek Revival and Italianate. You can find it on Main Street, on the east side of the city.
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Matthew McCrea House
|
|
Front of the house
|
|
 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 428 E. Main St., Circleville, Ohio |
|---|---|
| Area | Less than 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1840 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 88001714 |
| Added to NRHP | September 29, 1988 |
Contents
A Look at the Matthew McCrea House
The Matthew McCrea House was built around 1840. It's made mostly of brick. The bottom part, called the foundation, is made of sandstone. The roof is covered with asphalt shingles.
Unique Architectural Styles
This house is special because it blends two different building styles. It has parts of the Greek Revival style. This style was popular in the 1800s and often looked like ancient Greek temples.
It also has features of the Italianate style. This style became popular a bit later. It often features tall, narrow windows and wide roof overhangs.
Mixing Greek Revival and Italianate
The house uses a post and beam structure. This was common in Greek Revival buildings. But its overall shape is more like early Italianate homes.
For example, it has a boxy, "cubical" shape. It also has a low, flat hip roof. The wide roof edges, called eaves, are held up by double brackets. These are all Italianate features.
On the other hand, the front entrance has a portico. This is a porch with columns, a classic Greek Revival element. It also has a large decorative band, called an entablature, with small windows. The window sills and tops (called lintels) are made of sandstone. These are Greek Revival touches.
Inside the house, you can find beautiful original woodwork made from walnut. There's also a cool circular stairway made of cherry wood.
History and Importance
When the McCrea House was first built, it was one of the only homes in the area. Most of the other houses nearby were built much later, in the late 1800s. This makes the McCrea House stand out as an older building in its neighborhood.
Because of its unique and historic architecture, the Matthew McCrea House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. This is a list of important places in the United States that are worth preserving.
The house is located just one block east of another historic home, the Watt-Groce-Fickhardt House. That house is also on the National Register.
