Auburndale Phase II Historic Resources Survey

Nugent, Rachel; Barnhart, Rachel; Finch, Brad

From the Introduction: "The multi-phase, intensive-level historic resources survey of the greater Auburndale neighborhood, initiated by the City of Topeka (City), is a comprehensive project designed to document the neighborhood's properties, gain an understanding of the historical developments of the area, and identify resources or groups of resources that may be eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. The greater Auburndale neighborhood is primarily residential, and is located approximately 1.6 miles northwest of Topeka's central business district. Initially, the City geographically subdivided the project area into three survey phases. In 2017, the City contracted with Rosin Preservation, LLC to conduct the first phase of the intensive-level survey, which covered approximately sixteen city blocks, or seventy-five acres, in the northern portion of the Auburndale neighborhood. The Phase I Survey Area was comprised of 237 parcels and encompassed several residential plats dating from 1882 through 1922, including most of the Auburndale subdivision (1888). Rosin Preservation documented 222 primary resources, predominately single-family dwellings, in the Phase I Survey Area. After the completion of the first phase, the City geographically subdivided the remaining project area into three smaller areas, for a total of four phases. The Phase II Survey Area encompasses approximately nine city blocks, or thirty-seven acres, in the southern portion of the Auburndale neighborhood. The Phase II Survey Area includes some unplatted lots and four historic residential plats; these are a small southwestern portion of Potwin Place (1882), most of Elm Grove (1885), all of Lindenwood (1890), and the western portion of Bates Second Addition (1914). There are 165 total parcels within the Phase II Survey Area; Rosin Preservation documented 165 primary resources and 102 secondary resources, for a total of 267 resources within the Survey Area. All but three of the resources are single-family residential buildings, and all retain their original function. Roughly 58% of the primary resources have an associated secondary resource, such as a garage or shed. The primary resources represent a range of construction dates from circa 1880 to 2008, with the highest concentration of resources constructed from 1900 through the 1920s (139 of the 165 primary resources were constructed during this time frame). The Survey Area was largely developed by 1930, and thus the architectural styles and forms represented by the resources reflect trends from the late nineteenth century through the early twentieth century. In particular, the Survey Area has many examples of National Folk residences, which are identified largely by their plan, roof shape, and use of mass-produced building materials; as well as Craftsman style bungalows and Prairie style dwellings, popular early twentieth century housing styles promoted by house-plan companies such as the Garlinghouse Realty Company, which originated in Topeka. The Phase II survey identified eighteen resources designed by the Garlinghouse Realty Company dating from 1909 to 1922." Project funding was provided in part by a Historic Preservation Fund grant to the Kansas State Historical Society, administered by the State, Tribal, Local Plans and Grants division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior (grant number P17AF0034).

Auburndale Phase II Historic Resources Survey

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