Whittlesey House (Albuquerque, New Mexico) facts for kids
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Whittlesey House
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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The house in 2017
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 Location in New Mexico
Location in the United States
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| Location | 201 Highland Park Cir. SE Albuquerque, New Mexico |
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| Built | 1903 |
| Architect | Charles Frederick Whittlesey |
| Architectural style | Norwegian Vernacular |
| Part of | Huning Highlands Historic District (ID78001804) |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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The Whittlesey House is a special old house in the Huning Highlands neighborhood of Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was built in 1903 by an architect named Charles Frederick Whittlesey. He lived there for a short time with his family. Today, it's home to the Albuquerque Press Club. This building looks very unique for New Mexico because it's made of logs and stone, like a traditional Norwegian house.
It's considered an important historical building. It was added to the New Mexico State Register of Cultural Properties in 1975. Later, in 1978, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1979, it was also named an Albuquerque city landmark.
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History of the Whittlesey House
The Whittlesey House was designed and built by Charles Frederick Whittlesey. At the time, he was working on the Alvarado Hotel in Albuquerque. He first planned the house to be a shared home for the clerks and draftsmen who worked in his architecture office. He even called it "Bungalow Barracks."
Building the "Bungalow Barracks"
In 1902, the Albuquerque Journal newspaper described the plans for the house. It said the house would have six comfy bedrooms and a large bathroom for twelve men. On the first floor, there would be a dining room, pantries, and a kitchen. The newspaper joked that the men would "live royally" like "jolly bachelors."
Whittlesey bought land for the house in December 1902. It was on the edge of the city, near a high point in the Huning Highlands area. By July of the next year, the house was almost finished. It was built with logs and looked like a Norwegian villa.
Early Residents and Changes
Charles Frederick Whittlesey lived in the house briefly with his family. However, he often traveled to supervise other building projects. By 1908, he had sold the house and moved to California.
From 1920 to 1960, a woman named Clifford Hall McCallum lived in the house. She was a business owner and enjoyed hosting important guests there. These guests included famous people like William Randolph Lovelace II and Clinton Anderson. To earn extra money, she turned the stable and parts of the house into small apartments for rent.
In 1960, the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity bought the building to use as their fraternity house. Since 1973, the Whittlesey House has been home to the Albuquerque Press Club. This is a private social club that was first created for local journalists.
Architecture of the Whittlesey House
The Whittlesey House is a three-story building made of logs. It has a split-level design and sits on a stone foundation. It is built into a hillside. A wide veranda (a covered porch) goes around three sides of the house on the second floor. This veranda is about 10 feet (3 meters) wide and is supported by rough-cut logs.
Unique Design Features
The main part of the house has two stories and a wide Dutch gable roof. The back part of the house extends to three stories. One writer, Susan DeWitt, called the building "an enormously sophisticated log cabin." Whittlesey based his design on a Norwegian villa, adding many rustic, natural details.
In 1903, the Albuquerque Journal wrote more about the house's unique look. It said there were no smooth boards anywhere. Instead, it was all rough pine logs with the bark still on them. The house was built with very few nails; logs were often joined with wooden bolts. It had all the charming features of an old log cabin but with modern comforts.
Inside the House
For example, the living room has a large fireplace made from rough, black volcanic rock found nearby. But it also had a modern steam heating system. This meant people could enjoy the rustic look without feeling cold. The living room is very bright, even with its low ceilings and deep windows. These windows face all directions and offer the best views of the valley. The dining room also looks down over the town and valley, and the bedrooms are bright and airy.
An Albuquerque Journal article from 1994 described the inside of the building as a bit like a maze. Rooms branch off a central hall, and short stairways twist their way up. One hall downstairs even angles away from the other rooms. The top floor has low doorways, dormer windows (windows that stick out from a sloping roof), and a sloped ceiling.
