The Pise-Parsons House

Situated on a large lot many feet from the road, the historic Pise-Parsons House in the West End Historic District is faintly visible from West 7th Street. Large trees and foliage front the street partially hiding the home from immediate view. This home, constructed circa 1858, was built for Dr. David H. Pise, the Rector of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church. At one and one-half stories, one of the most noticeable features of the home is the steep pitched center gable roof that catches the eye of a passerby. The exterior is clad in board and batten, laid out in a cruciform plan, and embellished with delicate vergeboards. The front porch is architecturally embellished with quatrefoil cut-outs, spandrels, and pendants adding a feature unique to the design of the home. The original center section of the home was constructed of logs from the first Zion Presbyterian Church. The plans for the structure originated from a design that was taken from Andrew Jackson Downing’s book Victorian Cottage Residences, ca. 1815-1852. Downing eloquently described the design, quoting the English poet Samuel Rogers:

“A cottage like this, although of moderate size, in the hands of a family of taste, may be made to produce a beautiful effect. While it is true, that Here not state cambers in long line unfold, Bright with broad mirrors, rough with fretted gold, Yet modest ornament with use combined, Attracts the eye to exercise the mind.”

Carpenter Gothic, also known as Rural Gothic, is a style of architecture that developed in North American in the mid-19th century. Wooden houses, decorated with motifs of Gothic Revival detail made up the trend. Its’ use of wood instead of stone sets it apart from other forms of Gothic architecture. Carpenters used design features carved in stone on classic Gothic buildings, i.e. pointed arches, steep gables, and towers, as their inspiration.

The Pise-Parsons home features some of the prominent characteristics of this styling as seen in the jigsaw details intricately applied to the portico and the front porch. Board and batten siding were common as well. Many different architectural styles were used during this time period throughout the West End Historic District. The Pise-Parsons home highlights many of the Carpenter Gothic features and makes the structure historically significant to the district.

Victorian Cottage Residences: Downing, A. J. (Andrew Jackson), 1815-1852: Free download, Borrow, and streaming (1981) Internet Archive. Available at: https://archive.org/details/victoriancottage0000down/page/50/mode/2up (Accessed: 21 June 2024).

 Carpenter Gothic: The style of wooden house seen in the famous painting “American Gothic.” (2017, June 8). The Vintage News. https://www.thevintagenews.com/2017/06/08/carpenter-gothic-the-style-of-wooden-house-seen-in-the-famous-painting-american-gothic/