Catskills Vernacular Architecture Challenge #3

SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY IN THE CATSKILLS ARCHITECTURE CHALLENGE #3
CALL GINNY AT 607-326-3900 UNITL 6:55 PM TONIGHT, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7.


On Catskills Folk, last Tuesday, September 23, I announced the winners of the first two Catskills Vernacular Architecture Challenges.  Jane Piasek identified the two story white house with light green shutters as the Hubbell residence, next to Hubbell Inc. on Route 30 between Roxbury and Margaretville.  Alan Reynolds correctly identified the yellow and white Greek Revival house just south of Roxbury on Route 30 as Madalyn Warren's farmhouse.  Both Jane and Alan had songs dedicated to them during my radio show.

This week's challenge is a little further afield, but still on a main state route in Delaware County.  You may recognize the building's style as "Victorian" and appreciate the well tended and landscaped shrubbery.  Clue:  this house often has a table out front offering homemade jams for sale.y

I hope you can join me for the next edition of Catskills Folk on Tuesday, October 7 at 7 p. m. on WIOX when I hope to award the winner of the third challenge and talk some more about Catskills folk (aka vernacular) architecture.  Meanwhile, keep a sharp eye out for that beautiful Victorian residence!  The contact information below is usually the best way to register your entry to identify the architecture challenge, TONIGHT call Ginny at WIOX right up to show time at 6:55 pm at 607-326-3900.

Catskills Vernacular Architecture Challenge #2

Even though no one has guessed the identity or location of Challenge #1, I'm posting Challenge #2 and leaving up Challenge #1.  The two residences represent two major house types in North American folk architecture.  You can identify either of the houses by saying who lives there, who used to live there, who has worked there, the house number and road name, or the GPS coordinates.  Just leave a message on my phone, 607-326-4206, or e-mail vscheer@juno.com.  If you are the first to identify either house your prize will be that I will dedicate a song to you on my next radio program. 


This week, on September 23, on Catskills Folk,  my guest will be Pat Cummings, secretary of the Catskill Mountain Quilters Hall of Fame.    She is the local organizer for their Quilt Show coming up on September 27 and 28  at the Roxbury Arts Group.  We'll learn the history of the Hall of Fame,  how quilts are chosen for the show, and how the Hall of Fame relates to local quilting groups. 


So cruise the "blue highways" of Delaware County watching for two challenge houses and send me your best guess!  And listen to Catskills Folk, Tuesday September 23 at 7 p.m. on WIOX 91.3 fm (and wioxradio.org) to hear about quilting right here in the Catskills.

Catskills Folk Architecture on WIOX

Tonight, Tuesday, September 9, 2014, on Catskills Folk the program will focus not on high style buildings constructed and decorated for the elite few, but on the buildings constructed by and for ordinary people.


Because the Catskills Vernacular Architecture Challenge #1 (see below) is a residence, our topic will be confined to types or forms of residential buildings in the Catskills.  Here are a few of the older residential house types you might see in the Catskills:

One story, center door, long side to the road

One and half stories, center door, long side to road

Note two windows to each side of the door

One and a half stories, center door, long side to road

Note pilasters (flat columns) on corners of house

One and a half stories, long side to road

Note off center door and "eye brow" windows

Two full stories, long side to road

Center door with two windows to each side

Two full stories in main house; short side to road

Greek Revival pilasters, pediment, and architraves

One story wing may be as old as main house

Note porch indented into house.

Clue about whether or not one story wing is original.

If the yellow house is too stylish to call "folk",

 then this upright and wing is the folk version of it.

Have fun looking at architecture in the Catskills and don't forget the Challenge!

Ginny 

Catskills Vernacular Architecture Challenge #1







Detail of Front Door

Ordinary architecture - village residences, farmhouses, barns, commercial buildings, schools, churches, out buildings, even sheds, sap houses and fences - tell a lot about a region's culture and economy.  Because these buildings are often built by their owners or by members of their communities they are also considered to be folk architecture.  Catskills folk architecture has received very little attention while the areas around the mountains have been studied and even celebrated.  Catskills Folk Connection, and our radio program Catskills Folk, would like to make a difference by sharing photos of ordinary buildings from the region.

From now on I will feature an architectural photo challenge every two weeks, asking listeners and visitors to this blog to identify ordinary architecture in the Catskills.  The photo will be posted, barring emergencies, a few days before the radio program on WIOX 91.3 FM or wioxradio.org, airing on alternate Tuesdays at 7 p.m.  So the weekend before the program, check this blog for a new photo and see if you can find the building in the photo.  If you find it, e-mail me at vscheer@juno.com or leave a message at 607-326-4206.  You can give the names of the residents, the street address of the building/town or its GPS coordinates.  To all who identify it correctly or come close, I will dedicate a song on the upcoming radio show!

For now, the photos will be of residences, not churches, schools, or commercial buildings.  It may be in a village or out in the country.  Most likely it will be in Delaware County (where I drive most often), especially within a circle bounded by Roxbury-Stamford-Oneonta-Walton, Delhi-Andes-Margaretville.  So far all are on state roads or county routes.  If identifying the photo is too difficult, I will give out the GPS coordinates and maybe the address on the upcoming radio program.

Hear your name on WIOX!
Learn about the Catskills' wonderful and unsung vernacular (ordinary) architecture!
Enjoy travelling our mountain roads on these beautiful autumn days!

Take part in the challenge!