I have previously noted how much I have always enjoyed the work of Sydney R. Jones (1881-1966) whose fabulous illustrations grace the pages of books like The Manor Houses of England, The Village Homes of England, Old Houses in Holland and How to Draw Houses, which I have previously highlighted on this site. In a similar fashion, I have also collected some of the works by R. J. Brown, whose pen-and-ink drawings of vernacular houses and village buildings add so much to the descriptions found in English Village Architecture, English Farmhouses, and The English Country Cottage.

In this age of photography and wondrous digital effects, the sublime results that can be gained via the illustrator’s trained hand are often forgotten. Yet there are few substitutes for the range of evocative feelings that can be elicited from a fine pencil or pen-and-ink drawing.

Allan T. Adams - Illustrator

Recently I have had the opportunity to marvel at the skill of an architectural illustrator who has found his way onto my Twitter feed—Allan T. Adams. Just as I was thinking that the only source of fine illustrations of ancient English buildings were old books, his work has renewed my enthusiasm for this art form and provided much enjoyment.

Allen T. Adams - Illustrator

Mr. Adams has much experience illustrating historic buildings, as he is retired from Historic England (formerly English Heritage) having worked on a number of projects, such as reconstruction drawings.

Allen T. Adams - Illustrator

He has been illustrating historic buildings since 1981--creating drawn records for archive purposes, and illustrating books and other publications. His widely-recognized skill and experience eventually led to his election as a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London in 2008.

Allen T. Adams - Illustrator

I will share just a few examples of his very fine work here; as you can see, he is highly skilled in sharply-detailed pen-and-ink drawings as well as exquisite watercolour illustrations.

Allen T. Adams - Illustrator

Mr. Adams has a member page on the Society of Architectural Illustrators site HERE as well as a Flicker page HERE. 

You will also be well-rewarded by following him on Twitter at @allantadams -- where he regularly shares examples of his illustrative work.

When I think of an English Pub, many things come to mind, but as often as not, it’s usually something like the Carlton Tavern Pub, in York. This Victorian-era pub, with its lively Tudor-revival exterior, sits amongst mature trees in a very attractive area.

The Carlton Tavern in York is under threat. Clearly a pub well worth saving.

Unfortunately, the pub has never been designated as a heritage asset, which is why it was recently slated for demolition as part of a luxury residential care-home scheme. Without reasonable consideration of options that would enable the building to be kept, the City of York Council had approved the structure’s demolition at their Planning Committee meeting in October, with a tie vote of 6-6 swung by the Committee Leader.

Fortunately, close scrutiny of the decision-making on the part of the Victorian Society as well as local residents has resulted in the Council going for an unprecedented re-vote on this issue. To facilitate the pub’s preservation, a purchase proposal has been put forward to refurbish the pub and provide holiday accommodation for race goers and visitors to York, as well as a community pub, restaurant and deli.

With a re-vote set for the 13th of December, the slightest of opportunities now exist to ensure that Councillors fully grasp the historic and economic significance of the Carlton Tavern. If you live nearby and have a voice, it is your opportunity to be heard!

Link: Save The Pub! 38 Degrees Campaign

Not too long ago I had the opportunity to visit the O’Neil House, a landmark Akron estate that had been converted in to a very fine Bed & Breakfast some years ago. This magnificent Tudor-revival home, which is located on the city’s west side, was originally built as the home for the family of William O'Neil, founder of The General Tire Company and the son of Michael O’Neil, founder of Akron’s leading department store. The 19-room mansion sits proudly at the corner of West Exchange Street and Mull Avenue, on a well-manicured, park-like spot.

A wide, curved driveway sweeps across the front of the house.

While there is plenty of craftsmanship and solid design evident in the home, there is no pretentiousness about the house, which is spacious, warm and welcoming. The foyer features a beautiful staircase and walls covered in linenfold paneling.

The home's foyer features walls covered in warm linenfold paneling.

Just off the foyer is a wood-paneled library, filled with books, comfortable furniture and a large fireplace. It’s easy to imagine spending the better part of a day here reading and relaxing.

The large living room is a great place to entertain—wood-paneled like the other rooms and large enough to accommodate a grand piano in one corner. A large Tudor-arched fireplace is slightly recessed into one wall, balance by a big bay window across the room.

The library boasts walls of books, fine woodwork and a fireplace.

The home’s dining room is a vivid blue, and incorporates a more formal, classically-styled design—providing a clearly different feel from the other ground floor rooms. This was not an uncommon approach in early 20th Century homes, where owners and architects often felt free to utilize alternative styles (French, Georgian, Colonial) within an otherwise Tudor-revival house. A similar example of this approach can be found in some of the upstairs bedrooms at Stan Hywet.

I loved how this fireplace in the living room was nestled into a slight recess

Located at the end of the living room, the home’s garden room is another fascinating, Tudor-inspired space, with high, beamed ceilings, large decorative leaded windows and another welcoming fireplace. It’s a great place for meetings and gatherings.

The vivid blue walls and the style of this dining room clearly set it apart.

Gayle Johnson, the Owner and Innkeeper, was gracious enough to give me a quick look around a few of the upstairs bedrooms. Since the house is very large, I was slightly surprised when she noted there were just four guest accommodations—but three of these are suites, which include an additional sitting room almost as large as the bed chambers and separate full bathrooms. The largest suite, for families, includes three separate bedrooms and an extra half-bath for good measure, while the large single bedroom available has its own separate bath as well. The master suite bathroom, with its original fixtures and gleaming Vitrolite glass tilework, is an Art Deco treat.

This beer-stein carrying elf graced the windows of the garden room.

Open year-round, The O’Neil House is truly one of Akron’s treasures and a historic reminder of an era when the Rubber Barons ruled. Room prices range from $75-$200 and a gourmet breakfast is included for guests. More information can be found HERE.

Back in May, I provided a brief overview of this year’s UK trip, which centered around London and areas close by. One of our stops was at Highclere Castle, the home of Lord and Lady Carnarvon, and the house made famous by the Downton Abbey TV Series. Thankfully, the great success of the show has increased the number of visitors over the years to such an extent that many needed repairs have been made. Ongoing restoration continues, and many educational and tourist programs have been added as well.

A little rain shower did not diminish my daughter's enthusiasm for the tour.

While perhaps not my first choice, I succumbed to the desires of my wife and daughter to go see the house, which I had first read about in Mark Girouard’s book, The Victorian Country House. Designed by architect Charles Barry, and featuring a park designed by Capability Brown. The 5,000-acre estate is in Hampshire, about 5 miles south of Newbury, Berkshire. Reportedly the original site of the home was recorded in the Domesday Book, and the first house was built on the foundations of the medieval palace of the Bishops of Winchester, who owned this estate from the 8th century. Highclere has been home to the Earls of Carnarvon and their forebears since 1679.


What was originally a mansion built in the classical style was totally redesigned by Barry in 1839–1842, during his construction of the Houses of Parliament. It was re-worked in a Jacobethan style, with some Italianate touches.

We visited on a dreary day marked by on-and-off drizzle and showers; upon arriving we discovered that our scheduled tour of the gardens had been cancelled as a result, but a substitute tour of the Egyptian artifacts and displays would be provided. This was fine by me, since ancient Egypt had always been an interest of mine, and we were all aware of the 5th Earl’s co-discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb and the legend of its curse.

I found the service wing at the rear of the house to be interesting as well.

We entered by the rear of the home for this tour, and I must note that the service part of the house at the rear is almost as interesting as the front. Built in an ancient-looking red brick, in a simpler, Tudor-inspired style, it welcomed us out of the rain and then down a long, dark hall toward the display rooms inside. We found the Egyptian displays fascinating—many were original and authentic, while most all the better-known examples were exact copies of the originals, which are now in museums.

After the tour, we made our way through the guest tea room and out to a large hospitality tent that was set up just behind the house. Here, with approximately 100 other visitors and guests, we were treated to a very nice box lunch as it continued to rain outside. Indeed, the event scheduling caused us to have a great deal of time to fill between the Egyptian display and our tour, which was to include a presentation covering Jane Austen’s association with the Highclere and the literature and popular culture of the early 19th century. Eventually we made our way back into the house, relaxed in the tea room briefly (with a beer) and then were called back out to the front door of the house for our tour.

We were ushered through the front door and into the soaring central hall of the house, which fans of the TV show would instantly recognize. It is a grand space, to be sure, but it also seemed smaller to me that I had expected, based on photographs I had seen. This did not diminish it in any way, as I found the scale to be more human and more comfortable anyway. We sat with a group of about 60 people and enjoyed the historical presentation, which was provided by Jane Austen scholars and two vocalists dressed in early 19th century garb, who sang a selection of period songs. Not my favorite period in terms of music, but it was highly enjoyable, just the same.

This was all followed by a tour of the principal rooms on the ground floor of the house, and a few bedrooms on the first floor. Apparently, we were asked not to take photos inside the house, as I could not find any on my phone. That said, the interiors—which would be immediately recognizable to fans of Downton Abbey, were all in fine form, and very impressive. We can all be thankful to the efforts of Lord and Lady Carnarvon in maintaining and restoring this fine example of Victorian architecture.

Visit Highclere / Information Here: [Official Site]

When Frank Mason, a senior executive of the B. F. Goodrich, built this grand home on Turkeyfoot Lake and gave it to his grandson and his newlywed wife, Zeletta Robinson, he may not have dreamed that it would one day be a local civic center. Today, the Frank Mason Raymond home—known locally as Tudor House—or the Franklin park Civic Center, continues to charm guests as a serves as a popular wedding, meeting and banquet facility, often available without charge to non-profit organizations.

Located at 655 Latham Lane, in the Portage Lakes area of New Franklin, the beautiful 20-room, 2 ½ story, brick and stucco mansion sits on 5.8 acres, adjacent to Portage Lakes State Park, and has 335 feet of frontage on the west shore of the lake.


Built in 1927 by local builders William F., Samuel G. and G. Edward Schweikert, the home is a distinctive example of the Tudor Revival style of architecture, with its arched doorways, carved wood staircase, prominent Tudor arch fireplace with oak paneling, and exposed beams in the living room. Typical of so many large houses of this type, it displays a rambling, asymmetrical composition—designed to appear as though rooms have been added on over many years. The exterior also reflects Tudor design elements, with its gabled front entry, featuring stone trim, massive stone and brick chimneys, slate roof with prominent cross gables, and copper gutters. The gardens include an embanked grotto, constructed of stone.

After the Raymonds moved to Bath, northwest of Akron, Tudor House was rented by Goodrich VP George Vaught and his family. In 1943, prominent Akron jeweler Henry B. Ball and his wife, Helen, bought the mansion. They lived there for 25 years with their children, Skip and Betty (Mrs. Dick Walter) who was married at the mansion. From 1968 to 1974, Akron contractor Robert Fabbro and his family of six children occupied the home. In 1974, it was sold to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and in July 1977, a 50-year lease was signed with the State for the facilities to be used as a civic center.

While I imagine a number of people throughout the UK are familiar with the handsome work of artist Jonathan Myles-Lea, he is clearly not a household name here in the US. Best known for his house and landscape portraits, his work recalls past masters like John Constable and Johannes Kip. My personal favorites feature the traditional “bird’s eye views” of country houses—a style popular throughout the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

A view of Burghley House - from the west. Image Rights: Jonathan Myles-Lea.

Though Myles-Lea had been well-established as a noted painter of landscapes and houses, the commission he received for the April 29, 2009 cover of Country Life, featuring a fantasy 10-acre estate, clearly solidified his reputation as a worldwide talent. The resulting Dream Acres project was a central part of the 10-week series appearing in the magazine—featuring the stylized aerial views for which he has become particularly celebrated.


Other work which Myles-Lea has become notably associated with are his projects for Prince Charles at Highgrove and his aerial illustration of Sir Roy Strong’s garden, The Laskett, in 1994. It is no surprise that gardens and houses have become his primary subjects, as he graduated from The University of London with a Bachelors Degree in The History of Art & Architecture. As you might expect, his high standards and superlative work has resulted in one notable commission leading to yet another.

Plas Teg, Clwyd, North Wales, 1991. Image Rights: Jonathan Myles-Lea

The artist maintains studios in both England and the Unites States, and can be commissioned to paint portraits of your own home and garden. Much of his sketches, photos and other archival material are being collected by The University of Oxford and a book is reportedly in the works.

Personally, I have always found these traditional “bird’s eye views” rather enchanting, and having recently viewed my own house in a 3D view on Google Earth, I may attempt to use it as a guide to paint my own house portrait in this manner. A task for another time, however…

Inspiration for a future work of my own? Perhaps...

Through its Grand Houses and Gardens Tour Program, set to run from September 15-23, 2017, Scotland’s National Trust has developed a deluxe travel package that will offer visitors a chance to explore a number of historic properties, including C.R. Mackintosh’s Hill House, Fyvie Castle, Falkland Palace & Garden, Craigievar Castle and many others.

Charles Rennie Mackintosh's best known house - Hill House

The trip package is the first of its kind offered by National Trust for Scotland Foundation, USA (NTSUSA), which helps raise funds for the charity in the United States. Among the many trip highlights, art historian Dr. Evelyn Silber will lead a tour of Glasgow, taking in Charles Rennie Mackintosh's buildings, including the Glasgow School of Art as well as Hill House in Helensburgh, currently the subject of a fundraising appeal.

In the northeast, highlights will include Pitmidden Garden, the Robert Adam-designed Haddo House, pink-turreted Fyvie Castle, and Drum Castle, which now houses a contemporary art gallery.

Craigievar Castle was home to the Forbes family for over 350 years.

"We are so pleased to offer an exceptional tour to Scotland designed with an American audience in mind, said Kirstin Bridier, executive director of NTSUSA. "This trip combines visits to iconic sites like Edinburgh Castle with behind-the-scenes access at National Trust for Scotland treasures including Haddo House and The Hill House. We can't wait to share the extraordinary beauty and history of Scotland with individuals from the US."

You can find out more HERE.

A Tudor Revival interior that embraces its unique details and original woodwork. Courtesy Stonewood, LLC

I was heartened to see a story on Houzz the other day regarding the continued popularity of the Tudor Revival style in American homes, including an outline of its basic visual elements. Architect Steven Randal does a fine job of distilling the style's most essential design cues, and best of all, the story includes some excellent photographic examples of contemporary Tudor Revival interiors. The collection of images included with the article fully dispels the notion that these rooms are dark and dusty museum set-pieces.

Another room that blends with contemporary style. Courtesy Margot Hartford Photography

The story was refreshing for another reason (one which I have noted more than once) regarding the “typical” rooms one sees when visiting Houzz. More and more, it seems that almost every room featured on the website is bathed in white; white woodwork, white cabinets, white floors, white furniture…all combined with a very trendy, “hip” design aesthetic that looks like it was inspired by any one of a hundred DIY-design-craft -blogs. I’ve found this to become fairly tiresome, and it’s only remedied by entering a more specific site search for rooms offering more traditional styles, more color, or more of anything not defined by “trendy.”

As I noted, the photos accompanying this story are helpful, in that they offer a clean and contemporary look that embraces each home’s Tudor details instead of painting them out (in white) or de-emphasizing them. This is not always an easy problem to solve, as we will eventually be looking to update the interiors of our own house, and need all the inspiration we can find.

You can reference the full article HERE.

Decorative plaque - provided by TudorArtisans.com - USA

If you are interested in architectural and interior design of the Tudor and Elizabethan periods, or you’re looking to restore a home built in a revival of these styles, one of the primary challenges is to find appropriate materials here in the States. Eighty years ago, it was easy to source such items as plaster cornice and mouldings, fireplaces, brackets, corbels, light fixtures, hardware and furniture that would look right in a Tudor-revival home. Today, there is little available. Other than the handful of legacy remnants available from old line US suppliers like Decorators Supply or Fischer & Jirousch, almost no one makes them anymore, aside from high end custom crafters and cabinetmakers.

Today, most suppliers offer a range of classically-inspired products that would fit well into a colonial or Georgian home, but provide almost nothing that is suitable to an earlier time period. Whether it’s a chair rail moulding, a wooden mantel, or even a wooden interior door—the choices are generally limited to very common traditional designs. Think of egg-and-dart, dentil mouldings, colonial casings or the ubiquitous colonial six-panel door and you know what I mean.

Even in my own house, built in 1992, I was limited to these sort of items in terms of availability and budget. I did demand a rather chunky staircase balustrade and had a very large, custom newel post built—I also had a custom mantelpiece made for the family room that was essentially Arts & Crafts in design. Any other resulting detail items I could manage were best described as Victorian (small carved wooden brackets in the dining/living room openings, and faux-plaster ceiling medallions over the kitchen and dining room lights. My doors were six-panel colonial, since the only other affordable and easily-obtainable alternative was a plain surface hollow-core slab door.



Staircase - courtesy Distinctive Country Furniture LTD - UK

As it turned out, the result was ok; many of these items might have been found in similar combination in an “Old English” house of an earlier time—particularly here in America, where styles were often blended together. As time goes on and I embark on future projects, I may remedy this situation to some extent, as far as time and budget allow.

If one has the means to import items from the UK, the issue is not quite as severe. A better selection is available, not to mention salvage items available from both online and brick-and-mortar vendors. In addition, my Twitter feed is full of highly skilled craftsmen who work in stone, plaster, glass, iron and wood, and almost any of them can create something both appropriate and beautiful—for a commensurate price. Sadly, the exchange rate and shipping across the Atlantic remain serious considerations, but for many, this remains a worthy option.

For those who are fearless, and who possess some level of skill and imagination, the remaining alternative is to make these items yourself. If one is able to obtain at least one appropriate decorative item, it is not so hard to make a mold and cast (in plaster or resin) the additional number required. Originals can be shaped in clay, or carved from wood, if one has the patience and requisite skill. Even if one lacks the ability to do hand-work, modern technology makes it possible to model a decorative piece using 3-dimensional software and send a file to a woodshop with a CNC router that can carve the item from a block of wood in a matter of minutes. Not inexpensive, but often less costly than paying a craftsman to make it by hand.

Lovely medieval floor chest - courtesy Early Oak Reproductions - UK

Perhaps the best solution is to use a combination of all these methods when it comes to sourcing decorative items for your period home. Where common or traditional materials can be made to “fit the bill”—feel free to use them and flip the resulting savings into cash that can be used to purchase those few specialty “feature” items that will set your project apart.

Likewise, do not be afraid to try your hand at creating a decorative detail yourself. If it doesn’t turn out quite as perfect as you would have liked, you don’t have to use it in your entrance foyer; integrate it into a bedroom, a back hall, or even a basement rec room—places where any shortcomings will be slightly less visible.

Stone carved head - courtesy Nick Roberson - UK

I would also suggest that at some point you spend the money and have a craftsman build or create some feature item that you can integrate into your interior or exterior design. It may only be a single door, a carving for a fireplace, a plaster panel or a bit of iron hardware, but it will add both value and pride to your finished project. In this age of technology, traditional crafts cannot be allowed to disappear, and it is important that we support them so they will be available to future generations. Today’s best craftsmen work hard to learn their trade and spend many hours researching proper design and technique—whether it involves carving stone, building furniture or modelling in plaster. The results of this speak for themselves. Make use of them if you can.

Ben Taggart with his model of Henry VIII's Nonesuch Palace.

I’ve been interested in model building ever since I was a child, and even today still dabble in it from time to time—sometimes for historical miniatures wargaming, or building scenery for a slot car track in the basement.

I suppose this is why I can appreciate the magnificent skill that Ben Taggart displays with his highly detailed architectural models. My first introduction to his work was seeing a photo of one of his most impressive works—a miniature recreation of Henry VIII’s Nonesuch Palace, which is now on display in South London. I suppose I was so overwhelmed by the well-researched vision of Henry’s lost palace that I did not stop to consider the time, effort and craftsmanship required to actually build the model. Consider this a remedy to that oversight.



One of Ben's wall-mounted models

Ben applied his research and modelling skills to projects large and small. On the more modest side, he does unique, hand-framed, low-relief models of houses by commission. These present somewhat of a challenge due to the limitations in depth, so some elements of a home may be foreshortened to fit inside the frame. Nevertheless, the finished examples are quite fine to behold and would be a welcome addition to any homeowner’s wall.


On a more advanced level, Ben tackles larger, full 3-dimensional “house portraits” for clients as well; fully-detailed and capturing the full color and texture of special buildings that are cherished by their owners. Using wood as the primary material, Ben also utilizes fiberglass, plaster, plastic and brass to achieve a remarkable level of detail in each model—a process that may take several weeks or even months, depending on the size and complexity of the project.

The Nonesuch project represents Mr. Taggart’s range of specialist museum work, which is truly impressive. Besides the Nonesuch Palace model produced for Friends of Nonesuch, he has also created a scale model of the Auschwitz concentration camp for the Imperial War Museum’s holocaust exhibit and a brilliant model of the reconstructed Roman Baths for the City of Bath museum. All of these works represent many months of painstaking research and effort, all of which produce a significant “wow” factor wherever they are installed.

To see more of Ben’s work, be sure to visit his website at modelhouses.co.uk 

For owners who wish to commemorate a special house, government or business planning groups who might benefit from a 3-dimensional rendering of a project, or museums desiring a very special attraction, we are convinced that Mr. Taggart offers the commensurate attention to detail and skill needed to pull it off.

I have long been fascinated by old building technologies; in particular, some of the materials and designed that were developed during the early 20th century. A few months ago, I discussed magnesite stucco, and this time we’ll take a look at a synthetic stand-in for traditional carved woodwork known as Duretta.

Aside from design, one of the foremost properties considered by architects and builders was the ability to be fireproof. This is precisely why stucco, concrete and brick were so popular, and why asbestos was so common in stucco mix, shingles, siding, flooring and other items used in construction.


Finishes for Duretta varied; most items were finished to look like wood, and the company claimed that when so finished, it was practically indistinguishable from the real think. Other pieces were finished to look like hammered metal, and still others were provided a special, more durable finish for exterior work.


G.E. Walter was not the only manufacturer to follow this route – other companies like Cleveland’s Fischer & Jirousch (still in business) also developed similar products, like O’Kast (“oak cast”) which also mimicked the look of carved wood. Some of these old wood panel designs are still available, though I do not believe the O’Kast material is still being used in production.

It is amazing to think that there were once a large number of firms designing and producing cast interior and exterior ornament for buildings in the United States. Today there are only a handful, and most of the currently-available designs are based on classical themes rather than the medieval and tudor styles that were so popular during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. One wonders what happened to some of the old proprietary formulas used for these products, as well as the fate of the molds that were used in their manufacture.

I have long been fascinated by old building technologies; in particular, some of the materials and designed that were developed during the early 20th century. A few months ago, I discussed magnesite stucco, and this time we’ll take a look at a synthetic stand-in for traditional carved woodwork known as Duretta.

Aside from design, one of the foremost properties considered by architects and builders was the ability to be fireproof. This is precisely why stucco, concrete and brick were so popular, and why asbestos was so common in stucco mix, shingles, siding, flooring and other items used in construction.


Finishes for Duretta varied; most items were finished to look like wood, and the company claimed that when so finished, it was practically indistinguishable from the real think. Other pieces were finished to look like hammered metal, and still others were provided a special, more durable finish for exterior work.

G.E. Walter was not the only manufacturer to follow this route – other companies like Cleveland’s Fischer & Jirousch (still in business) also developed similar products, like O’Kast (“oak cast”) which also mimicked the look of carved wood. Some of these old wood panel designs are still available, though I do not believe the O’Kast material is still being used in production.

It is amazing to think that there were once a large number of firms designing and producing cast interior and exterior ornament for buildings in the United States. Today there are only a handful, and most of the currently-available designs are based on classical themes rather than the medieval and tudor styles that were so popular during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. One wonders what happened to some of the old proprietary formulas used for these products, as well as the fate of the molds that were used in their manufacture.

One of the more gratifying things one can do is to be able to put knowledge to good use, and I was able to do exactly this last weekend as I was able to lead a historic neighborhood tour of Akron’s Goodyear Heights through @Akron2Akron, a local group that helps organized and promote city neighborhood tours in an effort to help residents discover and appreciate the places where they live.

This pedestrian pathway and steps was dedicated to Clara Bingham,  a 47-year Goodyear employee who was popularly knows as "The First Lady of Goodyear."

I won’t go into a lot of detail in this post—there is a downloadable brochure I prepared; a PDF Dropbox link is HERE if you’d like to read more about it. In short, Goodyear Heights is one of the better American examples of the Garden City Movement as it was transformed into a high quality community for industrial employees of Frank Seiberling’s Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. Planning began in 1912, when Seiberling used his master landscape designer, Warren Manning (who had already designed the grounds at his landmark Tudor-Revival mansion, Stan Hywet) to layout a small town for his workers.


Manning, who was a senior assistant to the legendary landscape designer Fredrick Law Olmstead, laid out a masterful plan that followed the topography of the site, leaving many open areas for parks and other public areas. Seiberling also hired noted architects to design attractive homes for the community; rather than settle for typical utilitarian worker housing, he insisted on a wide variety of higher-quality “cottages” – many of which were based on traditional English small home designs.
While the community is also home to a number of other popular early 20th century house styles, like bungalows, craftsman-style homes and quaint colonials, the English influence is clear, from the Tudor-revival Boy Scout Center to more modest homes reminiscent of small houses by Voysey, Baillie Scott and Lutyens. Other buildings in the area followed this trend, including the original high school (built to resemble a Tudor palace) the neighborhood’s public library and Goodyear Hall, which was the company’s educational center and recreation building.

Due to the neighborhood’s size and historic character, our @Akron2Akron tours were held over two days, with two distinct tour routes offered on each date. The tour I led followed a slightly more challenging uphill route, following a series of pedestrian paths and steps that had been integrated into the neighborhood’s original design, allowing convenient access between various street levels. Pour other tour followed a more level route, through the project’s initial phase and taking in some of the open park spaces that Manning had preserved.

On each route, the guides were able to discuss the history of the development, the challenges of construction and the wide variety of home designs found in the there. The weather was perfect, with everything so green and the flowers in bloom, the neighborhood showed quite well, and afterward, everyone was able to meet at the gazebo at the “square” on Pioneer Street for refreshments and cookies. This public area offers a great opportunity to capture Manning’s (and Seiberling’s) original vision, with its human scale and comfortable mix of buildings used for commerce, housing, social services and worship. In recent years, the R.I.G.H.T. Committee (Resident Improving Goodyear Heights Together) led by Sharon Connor, has done an outstanding job in helping to build the gazebo, restore and maintain the rose garden here, and helping to stabilize and improve the neighborhood. Overall, the tours were a great success; somewhere between 75-100 people attended the first Thursday evening tour on June 9th, and another 35 or so attended the Saturday 6/11 follow-up--making this the best attended @Akron2Akron event so far. It was nice to see that not only did we have attendees from all over Akron, but that a number of neighborhood residents came out as well to discover more about their neighborhood and celebrate its history!

The gazebo was built almost 20 years ago by community volunteers, using materials, proportions and a scale that would compliment the surrounding buildings on the public square.

The @Akron2Akron tour is the first of many activities planned for Goodyear Heights, as current and former residents, city officials, preservationists and other activists are finally coming together to develop plans to protect and preserve this historic neighborhood, which has been recognized for its significance on both the state and national level. During our tour, I discovered that part of the Heights had actually been nominated for the National Register of Historic places back in the 1970’s, but a short-sighted city planning director had discouraged the nomination. Currently discussion has centered on developing a simpler local historic designation as a start, in combination with educational programs and some local funding to encourage and support the preservation and restoration of neighborhood homes.

This was just some of our Thursday night tour group - one more busload of trolley riders was yet to arrive!

A city trolley bus was available to transport attendees from parking areas nearby to the starting point on Malasia Road.

One of the more gratifying things one can do is to be able to put knowledge to good use, and I was able to do exactly this last weekend as I was able to lead a historic neighborhood tour of Akron’s Goodyear Heights through @Akron2Akron, a local group that helps organized and promote city neighborhood tours in an effort to help residents discover and appreciate the places where they live.

This pedestrian pathway and steps was dedicated to Clara Bingham,  a 47-year Goodyear employee who was popularly knows as "The First Lady of Goodyear."

I won’t go into a lot of detail in this post—there is a downloadable brochure I prepared; a PDF Dropbox link is HERE if you’d like to read more about it. In short, Goodyear Heights is one of the better American examples of the Garden City Movement as it was transformed into a high quality community for industrial employees of Frank Seiberling’s Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. Planning began in 1912, when Seiberling used his master landscape designer, Warren Manning (who had already designed the grounds at his landmark Tudor-Revival mansion, Stan Hywet) to layout a small town for his workers.


Manning, who was a senior assistant to the legendary landscape designer Fredrick Law Olmstead, laid out a masterful plan that followed the topography of the site, leaving many open areas for parks and other public areas. Seiberling also hired noted architects to design attractive homes for the community; rather than settle for typical utilitarian worker housing, he insisted on a wide variety of higher-quality “cottages” – many of which were based on traditional English small home designs.
While the community is also home to a number of other popular early 20th century house styles, like bungalows, craftsman-style homes and quaint colonials, the English influence is clear, from the Tudor-revival Boy Scout Center to more modest homes reminiscent of small houses by Voysey, Baillie Scott and Lutyens. Other buildings in the area followed this trend, including the original high school (built to resemble a Tudor palace) the neighborhood’s public library and Goodyear Hall, which was the company’s educational center and recreation building.

Due to the neighborhood’s size and historic character, our @Akron2Akron tours were held over two days, with two distinct tour routes offered on each date. The tour I led followed a slightly more challenging uphill route, following a series of pedestrian paths and steps that had been integrated into the neighborhood’s original design, allowing convenient access between various street levels. Pour other tour followed a more level route, through the project’s initial phase and taking in some of the open park spaces that Manning had preserved.

On each route, the guides were able to discuss the history of the development, the challenges of construction and the wide variety of home designs found in the there. The weather was perfect, with everything so green and the flowers in bloom, the neighborhood showed quite well, and afterward, everyone was able to meet at the gazebo at the “square” on Pioneer Street for refreshments and cookies. This public area offers a great opportunity to capture Manning’s (and Seiberling’s) original vision, with its human scale and comfortable mix of buildings used for commerce, housing, social services and worship. In recent years, the R.I.G.H.T. Committee (Resident Improving Goodyear Heights Together) led by Sharon Connor, has done an outstanding job in helping to build the gazebo, restore and maintain the rose garden here, and helping to stabilize and improve the neighborhood. Overall, the tours were a great success; somewhere between 75-100 people attended the first Thursday evening tour on June 9th, and another 35 or so attended the Saturday 6/11 follow-up--making this the best attended @Akron2Akron event so far. It was nice to see that not only did we have attendees from all over Akron, but that a number of neighborhood residents came out as well to discover more about their neighborhood and celebrate its history!

The gazebo was built almost 20 years ago by community volunteers, using materials, proportions and a scale that would compliment the surrounding buildings on the public square.

The @Akron2Akron tour is the first of many activities planned for Goodyear Heights, as current and former residents, city officials, preservationists and other activists are finally coming together to develop plans to protect and preserve this historic neighborhood, which has been recognized for its significance on both the state and national level. During our tour, I discovered that part of the Heights had actually been nominated for the National Register of Historic places back in the 1970’s, but a short-sighted city planning director had discouraged the nomination. Currently discussion has centered on developing a simpler local historic designation as a start, in combination with educational programs and some local funding to encourage and support the preservation and restoration of neighborhood homes.

This was just some of our Thursday night tour group - one more busload of trolley riders was yet to arrive!

A city trolley bus was available to transport attendees from parking areas nearby to the starting point on Malasia Road.