Sennett and Bertha Kirk House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Sennett and Bertha Kirk House
|
|
 Location in Kansas
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 145 W. Fourth Avenue, Garnett, Kansas |
|---|---|
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1913 |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 05001199 |
| Added to NRHP | November 2, 2005 |
The Sennett and Bertha Kirk House is a beautiful old home built in 1913 in Garnett, Kansas. It's designed in the Colonial Revival style, which means it looks like classic American homes from the past. This house is so special that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 2005. Today, it's known as The Kirk House and operates as a cozy bed and breakfast, welcoming guests to experience a piece of history.
Contents
The Kirk Family's Story
The Kirk House was once the home of Sennett Kirk, a very important banker in Garnett for over 50 years. His father, Lester K. Kirk, started the Garnett State Savings Bank in 1889. Sennett worked there for a long time, eventually becoming vice-president.
Sennett married Bertha Mellen in 1901. Bertha was born in Greeley, Kansas, and was well-educated. She went to the University of Kansas and later taught at schools for the deaf in Illinois and Olathe. Bertha was also a member of the Congregational Church.
Important People in the Family
The Kirk family was very influential in Garnett. Sennett's father, Lester K. Kirk, was the first mayor of Garnett in 1870. He was also a respected lawyer and served as the county attorney, a state representative, and a state senator. People remembered him for helping many in the community financially and with advice.
Bertha Kirk's father, William H. Mellen, was also a well-known businessman in Garnett. He taught school and served as the Register of Deeds and County Treasurer for Anderson County. He was known as an educated man and a poet.
Building the Kirk House
In July 1913, the local newspaper, the Garnett Evening Review, reported that Sennett Kirk was getting ready to build a new, modern house. His old house was moved to the back of the property to make space. Ground was broken for the new house just a few days later.
The plans for the house were drawn by George P. Washburn & Son, famous architects from Kansas. The newspaper said it would be a three-story wooden building with a basement, designed to be one of the most modern homes in eastern Kansas. It was built in a main residential area of Garnett.
Modern Features for its Time
The construction of the Kirk House happened when Garnett was getting many new services. The town started supplying water in 1890-1891 and paved streets in 1898. Gas service for heating and cooking began in 1904-05, and electricity became available in 1914. With new electric streetlights, Fourth Avenue, where the Kirk House stands, became a bright and important street.
Life in the Grand House
After the Kirks moved in, their large home became a popular spot for community gatherings. It's said that the Kirks often hosted high school students, offering refreshments and entertainment like dancing or music in the "ballroom" on the top floor. Imagine having a dance party in your house!
After Bertha Kirk passed away in 1951, her three children inherited the house. Over the years, the house had a few different owners. In 1988, Robert Logan and Robert Cugno bought the property and started running it as a successful bed and breakfast.
Later, Mike and Eileen Burns became the new owners. They have worked hard to restore the house to its original beauty. Many antique items that once belonged to a previous owner, Effie Graham, have been loaned back to the house, helping it feel like a step back in time. The house is decorated with colorful, old-fashioned wall coverings and designs from the Arts & Crafts style, making it feel very historic.
Architecture and Design
The Kirk House is a great example of historic architecture. It still looks much like it did when it was built, showing its original design, materials, and how it was made.
Architectural Details
It's believed that the Kirk House might be one of the last projects overseen by the famous Kansas architect George P. Washburn, possibly with his son, Clarence. The house's design and high-quality construction showed how important the Kirk family was in the community. Bertha Kirk reportedly wanted the "best" architect for her new home.
There are some interesting stories about the house's construction. One story says that Mrs. Kirk wanted a fancier porch than planned. So, the architects added special metal columns with decorative terra cotta tops to make the porch look grander. Another story says that the contractor couldn't get new oak wood for the inside walls, so they reused beautiful wood paneling from a mansion in Chicago that was being torn down!
The DeWolf Furniture Company, led by Harry Barnard, built the Kirk House. This company was known for making fine woodwork for stores, banks, and churches, which prepared them for the detailed work needed in the Kirk House.
Art Inside the House
A local artist named Paul Nordstrum painted the beautiful, realistic naturalistic murals in the Kirk House dining room. It's said that these paintings were inspired by sketches of the landscapes around Anderson County, suggested by Mrs. Bertha Kirk herself. Nordstrum was a well-known artist, praised for his decorative work in other buildings, including a county courthouse.
The Kirk House is a wonderful example of the Colonial Revival style, especially the rectangular side-gabled type, which was popular after 1910. The inside decorations also show the influence of the Arts and Crafts movement, which focused on handcrafted beauty.
