Reverend Anderson B Quay House
The Reverend Anderson B. Quay House (22 North Baltimore Street) was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. Portions of the content on this web page were adapted from a copy of the original nomination document. [1]
Description
The Rev, Anderson B. Quay House is an 1831 brick residence. The Greek Revival style appears to have influenced the building's design. Ornate exterior Italianate and Queen Anne features which were added to the L-shaped 2-1/2 story single dwelling around 1880. The architectural features include shallow pitched roof with eaves returns and brackets, paneled wooden frieze band with windows and decorative grilles, paneled lintels with corner block paterae, narrow side lights and multi-paned transom at the front door with prominent surround and paneled jambs, interior splayed architraves and paneling, Italianate bracketed window and door hoods and Queen Anne spindlework porch frieze. It is situated at the west end of an approximately quarter-acre rectangular parcel of land. There is a noncontributing c.1935 frame barn at the northeastern corner of the property. This property is one block north of Dillsburg's center square, in the vicinity of which some of the streetscape of the 19th century town businesses intermingle with residences, no front lawns, brick walks in the space between buildings and street, fences and trees have been preserved. The residence is in excellent condition with well preserved interior and exterior architectural features.
The rectangular house sits on a lot bounded by North Baltimore Street (the principal north-south route in Dillsburg) to the west, alleys to the south and east, and Quay Park (site of the original Rev. Anderson B. Quay house) to the north. It is three bays wide and two bays deep. The brick walls are laid on a foundation of coursed brownstone ashlar in a stretcher bond pattern on the facade and common bond on the other three elevations. The shallowly pitched asphalt (the original slate had to be replaced) gable roof has wide eaves and a single corbeled brick interior end chimney on the south gable (the symmetrical but nonfunctional chimney on the north gable had been removed earlier). All four elevations of the house feature prominent molded wood cornices adorned with decorative brackets and eaves returns.
The fenestration on the Rev, Anderson B. Quay House is symmetrical. First floor windows are tall and narrow with two-panel shutters. Second story windows are smaller with louvered shutters. Three attic frieze-band rectangular casement windows covered with ornate iron grilles are set in a decoratively paneled wooden band located beneath the cornice on the facade. The attic windows in the gable ends are smaller than the others and also have louvered shutters. All shutters are wooden. All windows have wooden lintels and sills. All double-hung sash have 1/1 glazing except the attic which has 2/2. The windows on the facade (except frieze-band) and south elevation are topped by prominent window hoods. These straight molded wood bracketed hoods are embellished with jigsawn decoration. The lintels on the north elevation are paneled and slightly peaked with corner block paterae. Two small rectangular basement windows are set in the stone foundation on the facade. The center window has an ornamental iron grille and a wooden lintel with corner block paterae. The other has a wider unadorned wooden lintel and a latticework iron grille and once served to receive coal deliveries. A two-story wooden polygonal bay window is located on the south gable elevation toward the rear of the house. This features decorative paneling, six narrow windows with 1/1 sash and straight bracketed hoods, both paneled and louvered shutters, jigsawn embellishments, and wide eaves with two ornately bracketed cornices. This bay was apparently added c.1880 as were the ornate window hoods and spindlework.
The facade doorway on the Rev, Anderson B. Quay House is off-center, surrounded by a plain wooden architrave and recessed with paneled jambs. The four-panel door displays rope and other decorative and utilitarian molding. It is flanked by narrow seven-pane side lights and topped by a rectangular five-pane transom. A prominent molded wood hood shelters the doorway. The straight hood features jigsawn decorations, ornate brackets and pendants. The raised brick stoop with three steps and wrought iron balustrade were improved in 1979.
A rectangular 2-1/2-story brick ell projects from the northeastern portion of the house's rear elevation creating an L-shape. It is one room wide and two rooms or four bays deep. The foundation, walls, roof and north elevation cornice of the ell are similar to those described for the house. A two-story porch is deeply recessed under the southern slope of the roof. The first story of the porch has a concrete floor with a pair of patch doors covering the cellar basement stairs. Decorative brackets on the front of each chamfered wooden post recall those located beneath the facade door hood. The bracket's design includes some spindlework which harmonizes with the spindled porch frieze and spindled quarter-round brackets on either side of the posts. The second story porch is not quite as deep nor as decorative as the first story. It features chamfered posts with jigsawn brackets and a metal floor. A low paneled wooden wall connecting the posts is topped by a plain wooden balustrade. The ell's fenestration is symmetrical. The window and shutter configurations in general match those of the house. The wooden lintels are the same as those of the house's north elevation with the exception of the narrow lintels with unadorned corner blocks over the two east elevation attic windows. Three of the second-story windows on the Rev, Anderson B. Quay House have original 6/6 sash. Most of the others are c.1880 1/1 sash although several have modern multi-paned sash. On the ground floor, one window on the south elevation is wider than the norm with a modern transom and sash, and another on the north elevation also has a modern transom and casement sash. A contemporary greenhouse window was installed in what was originally a door on the north elevation. A vent is located in one of the rear attic windows. Like those on the house, most of the first- and second-story windows have been fitted with unobtrusive storm windows.
Two doors are centrally located on both the first and second floors on the south elevation of the ell. There is also a paneled door with a single-pane window, one-pane transom and unadorned lintel from the rear of the house onto the second-story porch. The four central porch doors are paneled with one large single-pane window. Deep rectangular three-pane transoms top the first floor doors. On the second floor four-pane transoms are found.
A brick one-story one-room annex was added to the ell's rear gable elevation c.1959. This two-bay by two-bay addition is 23' wide and 15' deep with a massive corbeled brick exterior end chimney.
The basement of the Rev, Anderson B. Quay House and ell has stone walls and concrete floor. A brick coal bin remains in the west end.
The interior of the first floor of the Rev, Anderson B. Quay House consists of a side hall with staircase and a parlor. These two rooms feature splayed window and door architraves of wide molded wood, broader at the base than the top. The space below each tall window is paneled. The parlor features a decorative polygonal bay window, crown molding and a marble fireplace cover/mantel. Pine floorboards are original. The open string flight stairs have a rounded walnut handrail, turned newel and balusters. The wall below the stairs is paneled as is the space above the rear hallway door to the ell. A modern powder room was built into the space beneath the staircase.
The ell, which is divided into two similarly sized rooms, is entered from the house by two doors (east end of the hall and parlor). The dining room at the west end of the ell has wide molded wood door and window architraves, crown molding and a chair rail. A small interior doorway (now closed with shelves) at the northwestern corner once led to basement stairs. On the north wall is an offset which originally was a fireplace and chimney breast. To the rear of the dining room is the kitchen with floor to ceiling beadboard cupboard on west wall. The doorway with a massive brownstone sill on the north wall provided access to the well (located at the northwest corner of the house) and now houses a greenhouse window.
The annex consists of a single spacious room with large fireplace, beamed ceiling and stairs at the northwest corner. These provide a new access to the original stairway to the second floor from the kitchen.
The second floor of the Rev, Anderson B. Quay House contains a hallway/stairwell and three rooms. A bedroom and sitting room with bay window are to the south. The bedroom and a smaller room (once used as a clothes closet) both located along the front of the house have wide molded wooden architraves. The chimney breast on the south wall has been enlarged to serve as a closet.
The second-story of the ell consists of a bathroom, laundry/dressing room and master bedroom. At the east end of the latter are two staircases — up to the ell attic (door closure achieved with an original Suffolk latch) and down to the annex. Doors to the porch are in the dressing area and master bedroom.
The Rev, Anderson B. Quay House's third floor is similar to the second. There are two bedrooms in the southern space and an original storage area (now bathroom) in the northwest corner. The walls on this floor slant inward above the low frieze band windows in the west and also in the east due to the slope of the roof. The brick walls at this level are one course thinner than the remainder. This creates a narrow ledge in the stairway. In the center of the east wall is a small door (with a Suffolk latch) that provides access to the attic space in the ell.
The sidewalk in front of the Rev, Anderson B. Quay House is paved with original brick as is much of the brick path along the south wall and patio adjacent to the first-story ell porch. The brick sidewalk leads to the backyard with deck, barn's south elevation and the eastern termination of the property.
A non contributing building stands at the northeast corner of the site — a 20 by 50 foot one-story rectangular frame barn with a standing-seam metal hipped roof and concrete foundation. It was built c.1935 using elements from a previous (date of construction unknown) barn that stood at the southeast corner. A small scale feature is a stone-lined well that predates the house. It is located close to the house's northwestern corner. It is topped by an iron grille with an historic iron hand pump.
Careful study of an undated photograph (probably c.1865) verifies most of the exterior appearance of the original mid-19th century house and ell. With this information, the nature and extent of the c.1880 stylistic alterations of the original can also be established. It is this package (the Greek Revival original house and ell with the Italianate and Queen Anne alterations) which makes the Rev, Anderson B. Quay House unique and architecturally valuable. The alterations to the property's original exterior features include the entry stoop, the two story bay, the annex, the removal of two chimneys (on the north house gable, and on the north ell wall) and the slate roof. The sensitive restoration of the interior including removal of 20th century partitions, floor coverings and heating elements from the first floor of the house and the recreation of the stairway between the first and second floors of the house using important original elements has resulted in nicely preserved integrity. Similar care was observed as alterations on the other floors of the house and throughout the ell returned the property to its original exclusive function as a residence, currently with modern amenities. The residence retains architectural integrity both inside and out.
Significance
The Rev, Anderson B. Quay House meets National Register Criterion C in the area of Architecture as an important northern York County example of 19th century domestic architecture influenced by Greek Revival, Italianate, and Queen Anne styles. Built in 1831 for the pastor of Monaghan Presbyterian Church, the residence is an excellent illustration of a mid-19th century townhouse and displays a number of high-style features. About 1880 Italianate windows and door hoods as well as an ornate two-story bay window and a Queen Anne spindlework porch frieze were added to the original Greek Revival facade and south elevations to give the house a more currently fashionable appearance. The period of significance begins with the construction of the house in 1831 and ends with the c.1880 date of the alterations.
Scots-Irish homesteaders settled the Dillsburg area of northwestern York County as early as the 1740s. Captain Matthew Dill purchased most of the land (504 acres) from William Penn in 1742. In 1800 a town was formally laid out near Dills Gap in the South Mt. where paths to Carlisle, Gettysburg, Harrisburg, York and Baltimore intersected. Incorporation occurred in 1833. The Mechanicsburg-Dillsburg Railroad was constructed in 1873 to service the agricultural and mining interests of the area.
Built in the town house configuration, the Greek Revival features of the Rev, Anderson B. Quay House include: shallow pitched gable roof with eaves returns and brackets, paneled wooden frieze-band with windows and decorative iron grilles, paneled lintels with corner block paterae, narrow side lights and rectangular multi-paned transoms, prominent front door surround with paneled jambs and recessed door, interior splayed architraves and paneling, some original 6/6 sash. Bracketed Italianate window and door hoods were added over the Greek Revival lintels. At the same time an elaborate two story bay was added to the original house as well as 1/1 sash and Queen Anne spindlework porch frieze. These stylistic updates were a common means to convert an old-fashioned residence in Dillsburg or York County during the Victorian period into a more stylish one in keeping with the owner's affluence or prominence.
Careful study of property transactions from deeds and indentures coupled with local tax records convincingly establish that Reverend Anderson B. Quay, pastor of Monaghan Presbyterian Church in Dillsburg had the property built in 1831, two years before the borough was incorporated. When first built, its only neighbors were an associated 18th century log house (both residences shared a well), and a smithy. These belonged with the property which Rev. Quay purchased. The log house, as seen on the 1860 and 1876 maps of Dillsburg, was located in what is now the adjacent Quay Park (which commemorates the 1833 birthplace of Senator Matthew S. Quay, the legendary 19th century political figure and Rev. & Mrs. Quay's son). It is possible that Rev. Quay and his wife lived there while their new house was being built. Because of this second house's deteriorated condition, it was torn down in the 1950's. Rev. Quay sold the house to a blacksmith in 1840. Subsequent owners were prominent community leaders, bankers, investors, and business people. Early in this century, this house was called the "Mansion House." By the mid 20th century it became a physician's office and residence and later a dental laboratory and residence.
Today the vast majority of Dillsburg's buildings are more than 50 years old. Newer housing developments are located at the north, south and east ends of the borough. Three quarters of the area's homes were built before 1940 (about 300 buildings). Nearly 70% of these were constructed during the Victorian era (c.1870 to c.1915). Very few buildings from Dillsburg's early period exist today. The earliest is the c.1780 stone Dill Tavern located approximately two blocks north of the Rev, Anderson B. Quay House. No other buildings date before 1830. There are only about six c.1830 to c.1840 buildings (including the Quay house), all of them are located on Baltimore Street. About a dozen date from 1849 to 1869. One of the latter is the 1849 Monaghan Presbyterian Church (the second successor to the original c.1762 church) located one half block northeast of this property.
There is one other Greek Revival influenced building in the community. It is located at 14, 16, 18 South Baltimore Street approximately one block southwest of the Rev, Anderson B. Quay House. This mid-19th-century 2-1/2-story brick building was originally a double town house. Its architectural integrity has been compromised with its conversion to commercial use by the installation of storefront windows on the first floor and apartments above. Another nearby residence (21 Harrisburg Street) displays four frieze windows but these are Italianate features rather than Greek. One or two other buildings have very subtle Greek features. Italianate door and window hoods are found at 21 North Baltimore Street. The attractive home at 110 South Baltimore Street is 2-story with low pitched roof, widely overhanging eaves with decorative brackets beneath, tall narrow windows and other Italianate features.
This fashionable house in the hub of downtown Dillsburg is surrounded by single dwellings, rowhouses, stores, professional offices and churches. These buildings, most of which were built in the late-19th or early-20th centuries, sit in close proximity to one another, often attached. Quite a few were built in the typical four-bay, two door Pennsylvania German vernacular design or in variations of the Queen Anne of Italianate styles. A very large number of them, however, are simply vernacular with minor stylistic features. The majority of these buildings are frame, stand two to 2-1/2-stories tall, and sit level with the sidewalk. The Rev, Anderson B. Quay House has more space around it and more privacy than the norm.
Bibliography
Cotton, J. Randall. "Knobs & Latches," Old House Journal (November/December 1987): 37-38.
1826-1979 York County tax records, York County Courthouse, York, PA.
Gibson, John. History of York County Pennsylvania. Chicago: F. A. Battey Publishing Co., 1886.
Hoffman, Marilyn Gillette, interviewed by Alyce & George Jackson. Former resident of 22 North Baltimore Street (during 1940's). Various informal question-and-answer conversations from 01 /1979 to 08/1996.
Jackson, Alyce and George, owners of Quay House, interviewed by Barbara Raid of Historic York, Inc. July 1991 and February 1996 to present.
Jackson, George L., M.D. "Monaghan Presbyterian Church...Moment in History" Moments for History...250th Anniversary Monaghan Presbyterian Church 1745-1995 (05/28/1995): 20-21.
Jackson, George L., M.D. Of Thee I Sing. Mechanicsburg: Atlis Graphics and Design, Inc. 1992.
Jackson, Richard L. The Mansion Property. Research paper submitted to satisfy requirements for a degree in Landscape Architecture from Penn State University. May 15, 1979.
Kinter, L. L., President, Citizens Hose Company No. 1 of Dillsburg, PA. Community Memorial Building and a brief history of Dillsburg, Pennsylvania. Dillsburg: Citizens Hose Company No. 1, 1950.
Lafever, Minard. The Beauties of Modern Architecture. New York: D. Appleton & Company, 1835.
Lerew, Marguerite and Leroy. Former next-door neighbors (26 North Baltimore Street) Interviewed by Alyce & George Jackson from 01/1979 to 08/1996.
Map of York and Adams Counties. Pennsylvania: D. Small & W. Wagner, 1821.
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1989.
Moore, Mark E. "Dillsburg Sabbath School." Moments for History...250th Anniversary Monaghan Presbyterian Church 1745-1995 (07/09/1995): 25.
Moore, Mark E. "Temperance" Moments for History...250th Anniversary Monaghan Presbyterian Church 1745-1995 (06/25/95): 23.
Nichols, Beach. Atlas of York Co. Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Pomery, Whitman & Co., 1876.
Prowell, George R . History of York County Pennsylvania. Chicago: J. H . Beers & Co., 1907.
Shearer's Map of York County Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: W. 0. Shearer and D. J. Lake, 1860.
Tax records for Carroll, Franklin and Monaghan Townships, 1826-1836. Historical Society of York County, York, PA.
York County deeds, 1823-1960. In owners' possession and at Recorder of Deeds Office in York County Courthouse, York, PA.
- National Register nomination document, 1997/1997, prepared by B. Raid and Alyce & George Jackson, Historic York, Inc., Quay, Anderson B. Rev. House, National Park Service, Washington, D.C.
Nearby Neighborhoods
Street Names
Baltimore Street North • Route 74
