ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION:

The style of this house is undetermined, and can simply be referred to as Vernacular Gothic (built in the Gothic Revival period). It is wood framed, two stories high, clad in wood clapboard with a 3-bay with a pedimented center entrance front façade, hip and gable roof and rectangular double-hung sashes with crowns and sills.

The house is oriented to the south (right side yard). It has a gable roof (based on its orientation) with asphalt shingles. There is a small brick center chimney.

HISTORICAL NARRATIVE

The property was once owned by Ensign Loomis. In 1873 he sold it to Miss Catherine McDevitt. In 1882 the home was sold to Mr. Victor Schmitt. In 1936 the house was sold to Barbara Byrne. In 1960 she sold the house to Mr. & Mrs. Robert Field. In 1986 the house was owned by Collen Engle and Susan Peters. They sold the house in 1987 to Georgina M. S. Jaquiss.

The property was purchased by Mark H. Usow in June of 2000 and then by Thomas Wessel in July of 2001.

The name of this house should be “The Catherine McDevitt House”. However, the house is not depicted on the 1854 Clark Map, which labels a large property across Cliffwood Street as “E. Loomis.” It appears that Loomis sold off lots on the East side of the street for development after this time.

BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES

1854 Clark Map, 1905 Sanborn Map

Middle Berkshire Registry of Deeds, Pittsfield, Ma

Lenox Town Hall

Lenox Assessor’s database