Morgantown, situated on the Monongahela River, is the largest city in north central West Virginia. Closely tied to the Anglo French struggle for the territory it was founded around 1767. The neighborhood of South Park was one of the first suburbs of Morgantown arising form the housing boom of the 1900’s. Many of the city’s wealthy and influential called South Park home. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) The following demonstrate the development and various transitions of the South Park neighborhood of Morgantown, West Virginia, and the adjacent downtown since 1900.
The Shisler home was build in 1902 and is among the last homes constructed in the downtown area. Palladian windows and dormers with pediments define its Colonial Revival style. The cut crystal transom and sidelights are fine examples of the genre (http://www.wvculture.org/shpo/nr/pdf/monongalia/96000441.pdf ).
The Price house was constructed in 1902, and is identical to the Garlow home. Only the details in finish are different. Designed in the Queen Anne Revival style, the house features brick and rough stone adornments, and some of the finest stained-glass windows in the area. No longer a residence, it has been utilized as a fraternity house, restaurant, and office building (http://www.wvculture.org/shpo/nr/pdf/monongalia/96000441.pdf ).
Leaving South Park and moving into the down town is the Garlow house at 351 Spruce Street is constructed in a combination of Queen Anne and Romanesque Revival of native sandstone quarried across the Monongehela River, transported by oxen where it was hand cut and fitted on the building site. Built in 1907, the home was purchased in 2000 by the Morgan-town Public Library and is being used as a living history museum and genealogy center. (http://www.flickr.com.photos/mcgervey/1649262706)It should be noted that the Garlow House as well as the Shisler house above were designed by the renown Morgantown architect, Elmer Jacobs.
Traveling uphill from the former working class neighborhoods the area transitions into single family homes. South Park was originally created as a more upscale neighborhood and original homes, rather than falling into disrepair these homes built in the 1930’s and 1940’s have been renovated and once again rendered upscale. This home is an example of a “kit” or prefabricated home that were manufacture and sold by catalogue during this period. The potential homeowner could custom design a home from the model selections offered by a retailer, often Sears, Roebuck & Companies’ Modern Times catalogue, after which the precut and fitted materials would be delivered on site for assemblage. (http://www.searsarchives.com/homes/)
The original owner of this Victorian Queen Anne home probably owned all of the property immediately surrounding it at one time.
The Old Stone House. This home is a remnant of the early 1800’s and a Morgantown landmark. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) In addition to a dwelling it was utilized by the Reform Movement of the Methodist Episcopal Church (now the “Spruce Street Methodist Church”) for services. (http://www. flickr.com.photos/mcgervey/1649744606)
This building once served the neighborhood as a pharmacy, but has been transformed into a small apartment building.
Thoney Pietro’s Kingwood Street is a substantial struc-ture built in the Italianate style preferred by its owner. The neighborhood around this home would have originally been the home of many workers of Italian origins. Pietro, however, was the most famous of these. His home is one of several structures he built on this South Park block ensuring that he is remembered as a master builder for generations. (http://www.flickr.com.photos/mcgervey/1649744606)
This red and yellow brick building off of the Thoney Pietro Private Alley is again associated with industry, only somewhat more removed uphill from that area. It gives the appearance of a commercial structure that in its early days would have housed administrative offices and manager’s living quarters. Today it is being utilized as an apartment building.
This frame structure is located off of an industrial area and originally would have served as a boarding house for the workers. With the evolution of the neighbor-hood, however, it might currently be used as low cost housing for university students.
This property is located on Cobun street in a transition zone from former working class to a more upscale neighborhood. At one time a garage for the upstairs dwelling it has now been converted to an apartment, most likely for student housing.
Group members:
Angela Lands (KSU) Lyndsey Lieb (KSU) Minjuan Cheng (ISU) Michael Kelly(ISU)
Conclusions:This very brief tour of South Park and adjacent downtown Morgantown demonstrate the changes that occur over time to neighborhoods as they develop and mature. In the context of its age and efforts to preserve its distinctive characteristics, South Park is not unlike other gentrified neighborhoods such as Fairmount Grove in Terre Haute, Indiana or the West End in Atlanta, Georgia.
The Development of Architecture in South Park Community, Morgantown, WV
