Preliminary Report on Proposed Work, Part One - Architectural: The Watt House, Gaines Mill Area

Peterson, Charles; Taylor, W

The Richmond National Battlefield Park commemorates 13 American Civil War sites around Richmond, Virginia, which served as the capital of the Confederate States of America for most of the war. The park connects certain features within the city with defensive fortifications and battle sites around it. This report was begun in March, 1957 by Architect W. Ross Taylor, who made several visits to the site from headquarters in Yorktown. It is prepared with reference FO-11-56 and a memorandum titled "Historic Buildings Report Form” promulgated by Acting Director Scoyen on February 12, 1957. A part of this report is the set of eleven measured drawings prepared in the summer of 1956 by Student Assistant Architects Murray Kidd (University of Alabama), William E. Pelham (University of Pennsylvania) and Jerome D. Sager (University of Illinois) working under the direction of Regional Architect Edward Aschmann. The Watt House is a small one-and-a-half story frame farm house, typical of Tidewater plantations fifty or a hundred years earlier. It was already old-fashioned when it was built in the 1830’s. Only in such details as woodwork moldings and hardware are nineteenth century craftsmanship revealed. The house is characterized by the generally good proportions of its parts, which were executed in the conservative Virginia vernacular and is probably the design of some local carpenter. The east gable end composition of the two outside chimneys with pent closets is its most picturesque feature. Considering the heavy battle damage described by one account, the house is in a remarkably fine state of preservation. Most of the woodwork can be replaced or mended by a first-class carpenter. The only feature requiring real imagination will be the porches or stoops necessary to serve the three exterior doors. It is to be hoped that exploratory excavation will provide some clues as to their size and design. It is believed that this report, when used with the general one by Historian Willett, will provide a firm basis for preparing the final plans. The usual multitude of small details will have to be worked out as usual on the Job.

Preliminary Report on Proposed Work, Part One - Architectural: The Watt House, Gaines Mill Area

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