Landmarks Commission Meeting Agenda and Packet - August 18, 2026
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AGENDA
City of Monona Landmarks Commission
Monona City Hall – Conference Room
5211 Schluter Road, Monona, WI
Hybrid Meeting via ZOOM & In-Person
Tuesday August 18, 2026
5:30 PM
NOTICE OF ELECTRONIC MEETING
This meeting will be conducted as a hybrid meeting via electronic videoconferencing/teleconferencing
and in-person. As such, it is likely that some or all members of, and a possible quorum, may be in
attendance via electronic means and not physically present. In accordance with Wisconsin law, the
meeting will remain open to the public. The public may still attend in person at the location stated in this
agenda. Upon reasonable notice, the needs of disabled individuals will be accommodated through
auxiliary aids or services. For additional information or to request this service, contact Christina Kahl at
608-222-2525.
Landmarks Commission Functions and Powers (§18-8(c)):
The Landmarks Commission may designate as a landmark or landmark site any site, natural or improved,
including any building, improvement or structure located thereon, or any area of particular historical,
architectural or cultural significance to the City, such as historic structures or sites, after following the
criteria listed in § 480-20.
1. Call to Order
2. Roll Call
3. Approval of Minutes of June 16, 2026 and July 21, 2026
4. Appearances
5. Unfinished Business
A. None
6. New Business
A. Discussion of Preservation Design Guidelines – Guest Jason Tish, Certified Local
Government (CLG) Coordinator
B. Staff Updates
A. Comprehensive Plan Update Expected in October
B. Dane Arts Grant application submitted
C. Lindbergh Marker Updates
D. Updates/Discussion on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) or Sustainability
Efforts
E. Landmarks Commission Requests for City Staff
7. Upcoming meetings – September 15, 2026 and October 20, 2026
8. Adjournment
DIRECTIONS TO ATTEND MEETING ELECTRONICALLY
You may attend via videoconference by downloading the free Zoom program to your computer at
https://zoom.us/download. At the date and time of the meeting log on through the Zoom program and use
the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86479042651, or enter Meeting ID: 864 7904 2651
You may attend via telephone conference by calling the following phone number:
PHONE NUMBER: 1-646-931-3860 / MEETING ID: 864 7904 2651, FOLLOWED BY #
Please Mute Your Phone When Not Speaking To Ensure Best Possible Audio Quality
NOTE: Upon reasonable notice, the City of Monona will accommodate the needs of disabled individuals
through auxiliary aids or services. For additional information or to request this service, contact Christina
Kahl at (608) 222-2525 (not a TDD telephone number), FAX: (608) 222-9225, or through the City Police
Department TDD telephone number 441-0399. The public is notified that any final action taken at a
previous meeting may be reconsidered pursuant to the City of Monona ordinances. A suspension of the
rules may allow for final action to be taken on an item of New Business. It is possible that members of
and a possible quorum of members of other governmental bodies of the municipality may be in
attendance at the above stated meeting to gather information or speak about a subject, over which they
have decision-making responsibility. Any governmental body at the above stated meeting will take no
action other than the governmental body specifically referred to above in this notice. Agenda Posted
8/12/2026 on the City Hall, Library, and Community Center bulletin boards and on the City of Monona’s
website, mymonona.com.
Draft Minutes Subject to Approval
1
MINUTES
City of Monona
Landmarks Commission
Tuesday June 16, 2026
The meeting of the Monona Landmarks Commission was called to order at 5:30 PM.
Present: Alder Rick Bernstein (Chair), Ms. Rebecca Geer (Co-Chair), Ms. Anne Wellman, and
Mr. Matt Aro
Excused: Mr. John Chapman
Also Present: Mr. Henry Barbee (City Planner)
Approval of Minutes
A motion by Co-Chair Geer, seconded by Ms. Wellman, for the approval of the minutes of
March 17, 2026 carried with no corrections.
Appearances
None.
Unfinished Business
A. Update on Royal Airport/ Charles Lindbergh (W Broadway and Highway 12/18) Landmark
Marker
Planner Barbee gave an update-- he has reached out to the sign maker Vacker Signs for an
estimate on fabrication of a informational sign. He also reached out to Dr. Tony Michels from
UW-Madison, as well as the Minnesota Historical Society at the Charles Lindbergh House for
their perspective and feedback on the current drafted sign text.
B. Update on Walking Tour w/ Madison Trust for Historic Preservation
Co-Chair Geer shared details regarding the upcoming Frost Woods walking tour in September.
Staff should advertise the event via the city’s channels. The Madison Trust for Historic
Preservation will also be holding a second Frost Woods speaking event due to the success of
the first one, and that should be advertised as well when details are available.
New Business
A. May Preservation Month Recap
Chair Bernstein shared the experience of attending the Wisconsin Historical Society’s (WHS)
Tax Credit presentation planned in coordination with Planner Barbee at the Monona Public
Library. The event’s attendance was low, and there was discussion about if the event will
continue, and what could be changed in following years if so. There have been changes to the
WHS website which makes the overall tax credit process more cumbersome.
The Commission asked if there had been any engagement on the books displayed at the public
library for preservation month. Planner Barbee had not heard anything, but he will reach out.
B. Possible Educational Topics
Chair Bernstein discussed with the Commission an idea of possibly funding an archaeology
study for Monona through a CLG grant in the future. This could be for educational purposes, or
for home-builders trying to avoid sensitive sites when connecting to utilities.
Draft Minutes Subject to Approval
2
Staff and Commission Member Updates
Planner Barbee shared the updates he made to the City’s website for Preservation Month.
He shared the letter from the Wisconsin Historical Society (WHS) informing Monona that the Frost
Woods District had officially been listed in the State and National Historic Registers.
He shared the map of Monona local landmarks created by WHS, which has recently been updated
with the new Thomas House landmark for no cost to the City.
Planner Barbee discussed with the Commission about the two historic preservation conferences he
may attend to help expand his knowledge. Most likely the Milwaukee conference will be more
realistic over the one in Minneapolis this year.
There was discussion about whether the Bugalowen house at 5805 Winnequah Rd will need a
Certificate of Appropriateness for their work on an exterior window. Co-Chair Geer said she had
discussed with the owner, and the work would not require one since it is a restoration and not a
replacement.
Planner Barbee encouraged the Commission to take Monona’s Comprehensive Plan survey while it
is still live. The draft plan and Preservation section will be able to be reviewed internally by staff and
the Commission before it is publicized.
The Commission discussed the work being done on the Frank Allis House at San Damiano, a local
landmark. Planner Barbee will reach out to the executive director to figure out what they have
planned.
The Commission discussed next steps regarding their work plan, including the next landmarks to
nominate.
i. Updates/Discussion on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) or Sustainability
Efforts
ii. Landmarks Commission Requests for City Staff
Upcoming meetings
Upcoming meetings are scheduled for July 21, 2026 and August 18, 2026
Adjournment
A motion by Ms. Wellman, seconded by Co-Chair Geer, to adjourn carried. (6:23 PM)
Res
Respectfully submitted by,
Henry Barbee, City Planner
Draft Minutes Subject to Approval
1
MINUTES
City of Monona
Landmarks Commission
Tuesday July 21, 2026
The meeting of the Monona Landmarks Commission was called to order at 5:30 PM.
Present: Alder Rick Bernstein (Chair), Ms. Anne Wellman, and Mr. Matt Aro (virtual)
Excused: Ms. Rebecca Geer (Co-Chair), Mr. John Chapman
Also Present: Mr. Henry Barbee (City Planner)
Approval of Minutes
The approval of minutes from the June 16, 2026 was postponed until the next meeting.
Appearances
None.
Unfinished Business
A. None
New Business
A. Discussion and Consideration of Action on Dane Arts Grant Application
Chair Bernstein proposed an idea to apply for a Dane County Arts Grant, which would allow the
Commission to fund a historic preservation month poster focusing on international homes in
Monona through matching funds. He brought some other posters to show as examples. He
would apply for $1500, which would be matched by the grant. The deadline to apply for the grant
is August 1st.
The poster could showcase about 6 homes, as few as four, or even one single house, and hire a
professional photographer to take pictures of the houses. $1000 could get thousands of posters
printed, and the digital version could exist on the city website. There was discussion about
whether owners whose houses are photographed should receive a free copy of the poster and
photos taken. The photos could also be used in an eventual printed walking tour of Monona.
There was discussion about whether to spend money on many printed posters, do digital-only, or
only print a few posters for municipal facilities. The photographs could also be used to update
the City of Monona: Its Heritage and Landmarks book.
A motion was made by Mr. Aro, seconded by Ms. Wellman, to allow Chair Bernstein to
apply for a Dane Arts matching grant of up to $1500 of Landmarks Commission funds.
The matched funds of up to $3000 would be used to commission posters of Monona’s
international-style homes. If approved for the grant, the Commission will vote on how
many of the funds are to be used at a future meeting.
The motion passed unanimously.
Staff and Commission Member Updates
There were no updates to share.
Draft Minutes Subject to Approval
2
i. Updates/Discussion on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) or Sustainability
Efforts
ii. Landmarks Commission Requests for City Staff
Upcoming meetings
Upcoming meetings are scheduled for August 18, 2026 and September 15, 2026
Adjournment
A motion by Mr. Aro, seconded by Ms. Wellman, to adjourn carried. (5:49 PM)
Respectfully submitted by,
Henry Barbee, City Planner
END OF SECTION
4
Landmarks Commission June 2026
CITY OF MONONA LANDMARKS COMMISSION 2026 SCOPE OF WORK
SHORT-TERM
PROJECT DESCRIPTION TIMELINE LEAD
Landing Page National
Register
• Revise landing page for National Register nominations.
Completed
City Staff
National Register Hyperlinks • Create hyperlink for each National Register property.
Completed City Staff
Landmarks Commission Map • Revise Landmarks Map for reflect recent additions. Completed City Staff
MEDIUM-TERM
PROJECT DESCRIPTION TIMELINE LEAD
Landmarks Documentation • Complete Landmarks Documentation for remaining
seven Landmarks. Aim to review one Landmark per
meeting.
End of 2026 Commission
Preservation Design
Guidelines
• Explore possibility of drafting Preservation Design
Guidelines. Consider how guidelines can be incorporated
into City’s Comprehensive Planning process.
Discuss with Jason Tish
whether eligible
City Staff
LONG-TERM
PROJECT DESCRIPTION TIMELINE LEAD
National Register Outreach • Build on the momentum of the CLG Grant funding to
encourage other eligible properties to pursue their own
nomination. –Outreach to Nichols School, others from
survey
Ongoing
Commission & Staff
CLG grants • Solicit RFP for Frost Woods Historic District nomination
• Work with City Staff, appropriate Committees and
Commissions to evaluate CLG grant options and
priorities. Consider drafting design guidelines.
Completed
City Staff
Local Landmark Markers • Clean and replace worn down local landmark markers. Ongoing. Latest cleaning
completed 20__
Volunteer Group
Historic Preservation Month
Planning 2027
• Re-air PSAs on 98.7 WVMO
• Self-guided Tour
• Library Historic Preservation Book Display
Early 2027 City Staff
END OF SECTION
6
AGRICULTURAL, NATURA L, &
CULTURAL RESOUR CES 5 -4
CITY OF MONONA COMPR EHENSIVE PLAN
recreation areas are also available just outside of the city’s boundaries, including the Monona Golf
Course, Edna Taylor Conservancy Park, Olbrich Park, and the Nine Springs E-Way.
5. 2 CULTURAL RESOURCES
5.2.1 HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
Lake Monona and the Yahara River were popular campsites for Monona’s early inhabitants. Native
Americans settled near these clean and clear waters for access to food, farming and transportation.
The first and earliest people, dating from the Archaic period (7000 B.C. to 100 B.C.) were known for
specialization in food gathering and tool making. Drills and scrapers characteristic of this group
have been found on the present site of the WPS building on Broadway. The Woodland Culture
followed until the arrival of Europeans in the 19
th century. The Effigy Mound builders were a subset
of the Woodland Culture and left many earthen burial mounds in the Four Lakes Region. The Ho-
Chunk are the most recent Native American inhabitants of the area; they also evolved from the
Woodland Culture. In the early 1900s many of the Native American families set up camps along
the shores of Mud Lake and Monona’s Wetlands and sold hand-made products to tourists.
In the early
20th century, much of the land now within the City of Monona was farmed by European
immigrants. A few of the prominent farms include the Frank Allis Farm, George Kalbfleisch Farm,
George Nichols Farm, and Fred Schluter Farm. Around the 1950s, these farms were subdivided for
residential development and for later commercial development. The Allis farm, originally 600 acres,
included much of present day Monona Drive, south to Pflaum Road, and included the Monona
Golf Course area. The Nichols farm occupied land between Monona Drive to McKenna Road, and
from Dean Avenue to Nichols Road. What was once the homestead of Fred Schluter is now the
core of the City of Monona, which includes Winnequah Park, City Hall, the Community Center,
Library, and elementary schools.
In the early
20th century, cottages and resorts dotted the Monona lakeshore which provided a retreat
for nearby city dwellers. Many of the lakeshore homes were originally constructed as cottages and
many have now been replaced by larger homes.
Monona, a
t first a part of Blooming Grove Township, developed into a village in 1938 and finally
into a city in 1969. Monona developed differently from most other municipalities. Normally a
community will grow around its commercial district as the center of activity, employment, retail,
and entertainment. Monona did not follow this pattern. In its early history, Monona consisted of
prominent farms and summer cottages. Instead of the commercial area being the center of the city,
it developed along the eastern boundary line, or present day Monona Drive. Monona Drive, as the
city’s main street, has evolved drastically through the latter half of the 20
th century. Although
Monona Drive has undergone extensive changes and has few buildings to be noted as landmarks, it
has served the community as a thriving commercial area, meeting the needs of Monona’s residents
by providing vital goods and services.
7
AGRICULTURAL, NATURA L, &
CULTURAL RESOUR CES 5 -5
CITY OF MONONA COMPR EHENSIVE PLAN
5.2.2 PR
ESERVATION EFFORTS
Monona is proud of its abundant historical and cultural resources in the community. The city
established a Landmarks Commission in 1975 to protect, enhance, and perpetuate the City’s
historical and cultural heritage. The Landmarks Commission has identified twenty-two City of
Monona landmark sites and three sites on the State of Wisconsin Historic Register (marked by
asterisk):
1. Adolph Wagner House 4705 Tonyawatha Trail
2. Black Bridge - Site Bridge Road
3. Blooming Grove Town Hall - Site Monona Drive and Dean Avenue
4. Bungalowen 5805-5807 Winnequah Road
5. Charles Fix House 4659 Tonyawatha Trail
6. Chet Clarke House - Site 5000 Monona Drive
7. Ernie's Trading Post 4500 Winnequah Road
8. Frank Allis Home / Novitiate 4123 Monona Drive
9. Fred Schluter Farm - Site 5310 Schluter Road
10. George Kalbfleisch, Jr. Farm - Site 706 Dean Avenue
11. George Nichols Farm - Site 6204 R idgewood Avenue
12. Knute Reindahl House - Site 4009 Monona Drive
13. Lamboley Cottage 4529 Winnequah Road
14. Morningside Sanitarium 300 Femrite Drive
15. Mound – Outlet* Midwood Avenue and Ridgewood Avenue
16. Mound - Reindahl/Monona 4009 Monona Drive
17. Mound - Tompkins-Brind ler* 5805 Monona Drive, Woodland Park
18. Nichols School 5301 Monona Drive
19. Otto Schroeder House 4811 Tonyawatha Trail
20. Royal Airport – Site* W Broadway and Highway 12/18
21. Springhaven Pagoda 4227 Winnequah Road
22. Tonyawatha Springs Hotel - Site 4541 Winnequah Road
23. Tower of Memories 601 E Broadway
24. William Schlutz Farm - Site 4611 Winnequah Road
The cit
y has preserved its Native American roots in a variety of ways. Many original Native
American words and names remain throughout the community in the names of streets, bodies of
water, and other natural resources. The city’s name, Monona, is an Indian word meaning
“beautiful.” Original Indian burial and effigy mounds have been preserved at different locations in
the city. One of the most significant preservations of the Native American heritage in the
community is the Indian Mound Park. The Monona Landmarks Commission placed a state
historical marker in this park describing the Outlet Mound as a burial place used by the Woodland
Indians. In 2001 the city’s Landmarks Commission also placed a state historical marker in
Monona’s Woodland Park for the Tompkins-Brindler mound group. Many interviews were
conducted with native inhabitants of the area which have been preserved by transcription into the
city’s local history book: City of Monona: Its Heritage and Landmarks (2011).
8
AGRICULTURAL, NATURA L, &
CULTURAL RESOUR CES 5 -6
CITY OF MONONA COMPR EHENSIVE PLAN
Monona has a collection of diverse historic architecture. Many historic homes were once summer
cottages and farmhouses. International Style houses in the city with their flat roofs and box-like
shapes are prevalent in the city, mostly constructed in the 1930s and 40s. Most of these homes are in
the Frost Woods Neighborhood. In the 1940s and 50s, Sears Catalog Homes and pre-fabricated
Lustron homes went from the mass-production lines to Monona’s recently subdivided farmlands.
Mid-century ranch homes were also popular during Monona’s residential boom. Nichols School,
an example of typical historic 1930s elementary school architecture, stands on the same corner
where the area’s children have attended school since 1869. The Tower of Memories at the
Roselawn Memorial Park Cemetery has a unique form of Gothic Revival funerary architecture.
5. 2.3 HI
STORIC AND CULTURA L RESOURCES
In 1999, the Blooming Grove Historical Society, with support from the City of Monona, published
Monona in the Making: History of the City of Pride, 1938-1975. This book depicts the development of the
community, its government, schools, and churches. Prior to that, the Monona Landmarks
Commission originally published City of Monona: Its Landmarks and Heritage in 1980. This book was
updated and republished in 2011, and includes descriptions of Monona’s native history, and
numerous culturally and historically significant homes and structures.
The Stat
e of Wisconsin has some funding available for communities to conduct historical surveys.
The city may apply for a grant through the State Historical Society to conduct an intensive historic
architecture survey. Such a survey has not occurred in Monona, and Society staff believes that the
city is under-surveyed in this area. The State Historical Society’s records indicate that none of
Monona’s International Style homes or other historic homes are part of the National or State
Register of Historic Places. Monona plans to undertake a survey and promote the registration of
these homes and other historical sites. By having these sites registered, the site owners may be
eligible for tax credits to help maintain the historical significance of the property. Additionally, the
Landmarks Commission will complete an inventory of the city’s historical sites. The city’s historic
records will be archived in the Monona Public Library. The Landmarks Commission also intends to
pursue preservation and restoration of historic sites such as the Springhaven Pagoda. Besides
preserving existing landmarks, the city will work to increase the recognition of historically significant
locations. Creating historic preservation guidelines is one of the many steps that the city needs to
take to accomplish its goal of cultural and historic preservation.
9
END OF SECTION
10
CHARLES LINDBERGH - LIFE & BELIEFS
Escape to Europe
In 1932, tragedy struck, as the
Lindbergs’ 1-year-old child was
abducted and found dead near
their home. Following their son’s
death and the subsequent intense
public attention, the Lindbergh
family sailed to Europe in 1935,
not to return until 1937.
MONONA
LANDMARKS
COMMISSION
Later Beliefs
Lindbergh was an accomplished American
aviator, author, scientist, engineer, and
environmentalist. Despite these
achievements, he began to speak openly
about his antisemitic and white
s
upremacist beliefs leading into World
War II. He became a spokesperson for
the America First Committee and his
1941 Iowa speech accused the Jewish
community of pushing the United States
towards war. His words along with his
acceptance of a German Nazi medal in
1938 severely damaged
his public
reputation going forward.*
Historic Flight
Charles A. Lindbergh made history
in 1927 as the first person to fly
solo across the Atlantic Ocean,
gaining him worldwide fame. This
was also the first nonstop flight
from New York to Paris, taking 33
hours for a total distance of 3,600
miles. Lindbergh also contributed
to the field of medicine, inventing a
pump used in heart surgeries with
surgeon Alexis Carrel, which they
published a book about together.
*Racial stereotypes and beliefs are antithetical to
an inclusive society and should be condemned
by
all.
JULY 28, 1936
Lindbergh meets with Hermann Goering, Nazi airforce
commander. Goering would later award Lindbergh the
Service Cross of the German Eagle for his contributions
to aviation.
There is speculation that Lindbergh only accepted this
medal in order to not offend the Nazis, whom he had
been spying on for the U.S.
*2nd Picture
Location*
11
Outlook
Re: Charles Lindbergh historic marker and Lindbergh's America First views
From Kayla Stielow <kayla.stielow@mnhs.org>
Date Thu 7/9/2026 11:20 AM
To Henry Barbee <HBarbee@ci.monona.wi.us>
Good Morning Henry,
I think you have all done a great job of contextualizing the dual nature of Lindbergh's
legacy! Everything you have written is factual and easy to understand.
Happy to help with anything else you need!
On Wed, Jul 1, 2026 at 4:40 PM Henry Barbee <
HBarbee@ci.monona.wi.us> wrote:
I really appreciate it Kayla!
Please see the attached word document with text we have drafted-- we would appreciate
you looking at the highlighted text. We tried to include key aspects of Lindbergh's life
(including his accomplishments), before moving onto his extremist views. We included a
picture of Lindbergh accepting a German medal with an added caption, if you wouldn't
mind looking over that text as well. Letting us know any pertinent context or facts you think
we should include, or anything else that would strengthen the text overall would be greatly
appreciated, including wording.
I've also included a concept of what our sign design may look like (final design will be
drafted with the sign maker) and some additional pictures we were considering including.
Any thoughts on these are welcome (but not necessary).
I've included existing site signage conditions and text as well, for context.
Thanks again for your help!
Henry
Henry Barbee
City Planner
City of Monona
5211 Schluter Road
Monona, WI 53716
608-222-2525 (Main)
hbarbee@ci.monona.wi.us
www.mymonona.com
12
Outlook
Re: Historical Context Marker - Monona Landmarks Commission
From Tony Michels <aemichels@wisc.edu>
Date Sat 7/11/2026 4:32 PM
To Henry Barbee <HBarbee@ci.monona.wi.us>
Dear Henry,
I appreciation being given the opportunity to review the texts and images, thank you. I have
read the attachments you sent and have a couple of comments.
The first has to do with the caption that reads "There is speculation that Lindbergh only
accepted this
medal in order to not offend the Nazis, whom he had been spying on for the U.S.” This comment
gives me pause. On the one hand, it seems responsible to note that Lindbergh might not have been a
Nazi sympathizer, assuming this is true. On the other hand, the caption risks giving credence or
giving the impression that the Monona Landmarks Commission is taking sides in a historical debate.
I’m not sure how to avoid this dilemma other than to provide more information about the issue and/or
to state that the Commission cannot take a side. Either way, it seems to me the Commission should
make clear that, regardless of Lindbergh's attitudes toward Nazism, he clearly made anti-Jewish
statements of the sort associated with Nazism.
My second comment has to do with his Iowa Speech. The caption reads that Lindbergh
“accused the Jewish community of pushing the United States towards war.” This allegation claimed
that Jews, for their own selfish benefit and against the national interest of the United States, wanted
war with Germany. It not only suggested that Jews were less than loyal
American citizens, but they
were unduly powerful and exercised their power through manipulation and control. This allegation is
still leveled against Jews to this very day and holds more currency now than at any point in my
lifetime. It seems to me that some sense of this should be given by the Commission. It might also be
worth briefly stating the general view of the Jewish community, which was overwhelmingly pro-
Roosevelt, was that the country should take a principled stand against Nazi Germany and its allies
because such a stand was in the national interest and consistent with America’
s democratic values, in
addition to Jewish interests and values.
I am not an expert in this subject, so there is only so much concrete historical information I can
provide. But I can recommend the relevant chapters in Howard Sachar’s
A History of the Jews in
America. I think you’ll find it informative and helpful.
Best,
Tony
From: Henry Barbee <HBarbee@ci.monona.wi.us>
Date: Monday, July 6, 2026 at 9:35 AM
13
Outlook
Estimate 9234 from Vacker Inc.
From Vacker Inc. <quickbooks@notification.intuit.com>
Date Fri 6/19/2026 8:27 AM
To Henry Barbee <HBarbee@ci.monona.wi.us>
2 attachments (258 KB)
NPS_Cantilever_18x24.pdf; Estimate_9234_from_Vacker_Inc.pdf;
Your estimate is ready!
$1,319.00
Pay over time on your future invoice
0% APR1 or as low as $83/mo with
. See if you qualify
Dear Monona, City of,
Please DISREGARD the "Review & Approve" button.
PLEASE SEE THE ATTACHED estimate.
To accept the proposal and proceed with this project, PLEASE SIGN AND RETURN the
attached estimate for our records as both your commitment to the project and final confirmation
of your shipping address. NO PAYMENT is necessary at this time. Also, free to get back to me
with any questions, or to request a revision. We appreciate the opportunity to provide you with a
proposal.
14
ESTIMATE
Vacker Inc.
948 Sherren St. W.
Roseville, MN 55113-4420
ckriegler@vackersign.com
+1 (651) 487-3100
Bill to
Monona, City of
Henry Barbee
5211 Schluter Road
Monona, WI 53716
Ship to
Monona, City of
Henry Barbee
5211 Schluter Road
Monona, WI 53716
Estimate details
Estimate no.: 9234
Estimate date: 06/17/2026
# Product or service Description Qty Rate Amount
1. Cantfr.1824.IG.48 NPS Cantilever Style Exhibit for 18"H x
24"W x .125" sign panel, 2"x3" standard
(48"L) support posts for in ground
installation (32" from grade allows for 16"
burial), 45 degree angle, black texture
powder coat. Aluminum construction.
1 $506.00 $506.00
2. 24BDShip.UPS Aluminum mount packing and shipping via
UPS Ground or SpeeDee Delivery
1 $202.00 $202.00
3. XThpl.125.1824.Q1 18"Hx24"Wx.125" High Pressure Laminate
panel output from client prepared, print-
ready file.
1 $256.00 $256.00
4. Ship Izone18x24x.125 qty 1-2 HPL Packing and shipping costs via UPS or
FedEx
1 $90.00 $90.00
5. Basic sign design 18x24 Basic sign design and file preparation
services. Prepare custom 18"x24"
interpretive sign panel layout with customer
provided text ( final edited), high resolution
images, illustrations and logos. Note: Once
the design process has begun, requests
for revision due to content changes that
necessitate the need for a signi ficant
alteration to the artwork in process can be
subject to additional costs.
1 $265.00 $265.00
Note to customer
Thank you for the opportunity to provide you with a proposal. Feel
free to get back to me with any questions, requested revisions, or if
Total $1,319.00
15
you'd like to proceed with the order. If you'd like to proceed as
proposed, PLEASE SIGN OFF AND RETURN as an
acknowledgement of the proposed details, including shipping
contact and address.
Have a great day,
Vacker Sign
Accepted date Accepted by
t o k e n = 9 6 d 0 5 e c d 4 e 5 4 4 7 2 e 9 6 2 d b 1 c a 6 e 3 f 6 0 5 0 6 c 7 8 5 8 2 1 a c 2 4 4 0 4 2 9 c 2 d f 7 6 0 5 b 6 4 5 7 3 a c 0 aff 9 5 5 e 2 7 6 4 7 3 a 8 5 2 5 0 1 e 2 2 b 3 0 8 d d 8
16
17
18
END OF SECTION
19
Advisory Design Guidelines for
Historic Residential Properties
City of Eugene
20
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
On the Cover...
The E. W. Ryan Residence at 1224 West 5th Avenue, c. 1928 - a typical 1920s bungalow,
with a front porch, foundation plantings, and an early set-back garage.
Lane County Historical Museum, #KE1531.
Thank you to the Lane County Historical Museum for supplying most of the historic
images that appear in these design guidelines.
21
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
Mayor’s Message
The creation of these Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residen-
tial Properties has been a long term goal of Eugene’s Historic Review
Board. The board hopes these advisory guidelines can be used as an
educational tool for owners of historic houses in Eugene.
Eugene’s older neighborhoods, with their historic houses and tree-lined
streets, are a critical part of our city’s history and charm. Just as the
Willamette River, Skinner and Spencer buttes, and the Cascade mountains
define Eugene’s natural surroundings, our historic neighborhoods trace
Eugene’s built history and help define the character of our city.
Nobody intentionally sets out to destroy the history of a city, but each time
we remove or greatly alter an old place, the memory and understanding of
who we are, and where we came from, is diminished. Historic preserva-
tion is not about slowing development, but about recognizing the value of
what is already here. Many of our historic neighborhoods represent exactly
the sort of development that cities across the nation are now trying to
promote to combat sprawl. This “New Urbanism” takes as its model the
pattern of development found in our historic neighborhoods. Promoting this
compact, pedestrian friendly development is part of Eugene’s growth
management goals. Protecting this environment, and learning to manage its
future seems to be common sense.
We hope that you will find these guidelines to be helpful as you embark
upon rehabilitating your historic house or garden. The guidelines also
contain a section on residential landscape history, while providing some
insight on landscape interpretation by historic period. Of particular note is
the section on infill development. Historic preservation does not discour-
age new construction, but aims to provide ideas on how to make new
construction compatible in the historic neighborhoods.
Jim Torrey, Mayor
City of Eugene
22
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the U.S. Department of the Interior prohib-
its discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, or handi-
cap in its federally assisted programs. If you believe you have been
discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility described
above, or if you desire further information, please write to: Office for
Equal Opportunity, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington D.C.
20240.
This publication has been financed in part with Federal Funds from the
National Park Service, Department of the Interior, as provided through the
Oregon State Historic Preservation Office. However, the contents and
opinions do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department
of the Interior, nor does the mention of trade names or commercial prod-
ucts constitute endorsement or recommendations by the Department of the
Interior.
To learn more about the history of Eugene, and how residential development in
the city relates to broader trends in commerce, industry, transportation, culture,
and politics, see the
Eugene Area Historic Context Statement. You can borrow
a copy at the Eugene Public Library, or purchase your own copy for $10.00
from the City of Eugene Planning Division in the Atrium Building, 99 West 10
th
Avenue, Eugene, OR 97401.
Disclosure
Recommendations found in this document should not replace profes-
sional advice that may be needed from engineers or architects. Many
large projects, like additions or infill construction, are subject to specific
building code requirements for fire and life safety. The Building Permit
Services Department, Atrium Building, 99 West 10
th Avenue, is avail-
able to answer specific questions related to building and land use re-
quirements.
23
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
Acknowledgements
ii
These design guidelines were written by the City of Eugene, Planning Division,
with financial support from the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office. The
funding for this project will allow the guidelines to be made available to all of the
Certified Local Governments (CLG) in Oregon. The Oregon SHPO will retain
the master disc and distribute them to each CLG upon request. In this manner
each jurisdiction can modify the guidelines to suit their own community’s needs.
The development of the guidelines is the result of a recognition by the Eugene
Historic Review Board that Eugene needed a document that could help
homeowners and developers to better understand the unique character of the
city’s historic houses and neighborhoods, and incorporate that understanding
into their designs for home alterations, additions, and new infill development.
The draft guidelines were reviewed during the summer of 1999 by the Eugene
Historic Review Board and other interested citizens. They were revised based on
this input to better address community needs and concerns. City of Eugene staff
involved in the project include Scott Bogle and Kenneth Guzowski (writing and
design) and Shawna Adams-Jacobs and Anne McCleave (editing). Charles Sauls
provided technical assistance throughout the layout.
Eugene Historic Review Board
as of August 1999
Kip Amend, Vice Chair Adell McMillan
Elizabeth Carter Christopher Ramey, Chair
Teresa Giustina Ellen Wojahn
Nancy McFadden
Additional reviewers of the Guidelines include:
• Donald Peting from the University of Oregon Historic Preservation Program
• Christine Thompson from the University of Oregon Planning Office
• Kimberly Dunn, James Hamrick, Julie Osborne, and David Skilton from
the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office
• Neighborhood leaders from the inner-city neighborhoods, and interested
historic property owners throughout the City
24
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties i
Introduction 1
Why Preserve Old Buildings? 1
Preservation Tax Incentives 2
Treatment Strategies 4
The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation 5
Eugene Takes Shape 9
Getting to Know Eugene’s Architectural Styles 11
Rehabilitation and Alterations 19
Infill Construction 31
Historic Interiors 35
Historic Landscapes 37
Glossary & References 45
Glossary of Architectural Terms 45
Bibliographical References 50
Periodical References for Historic Rehabilitation 52
Contents
Table of Contents
25
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
Eugene’s older neighborhoods of modest bungalows, stately craftsman houses,
and post-World War One revival style houses trace Eugene’s history, and help
define the character of the city and who we are in the Pacific Northwest.
Eugene has grown tremendously in the past fifty years, and will continue to grow
as we enter the new millenium. Urban growth has often led to the loss of historic
resources, but it doesn’t have to. In developing our city’s growth management
goals, Eugene’s citizens stressed that new growth has to be compatible with the
character of historic neighborhoods. Accessory dwelling units on historic
houses, or new infill development on empty lots in historic neighborhoods, can
be accommodated while maintaining the historic character of those places if they
are well designed. Indeed, many architects and developers today are rediscov-
ering the principles that characterize most of Eugene’s historic neighborhoods:
modest, well built houses on smaller lots, with street trees and convenient
proximity to schools, parks, shopping, and public transportation. Protecting this
sort of development where it already exists preserves history and sense of
place, promotes a high quality of life, and also makes good economic sense.
These Design Guidelines were written to provide owners and residents of
historic properties, as well as developers working with infill lots in historic
neighborhoods, with design suggestions for protecting the historic character of
their properties and surroundings. Exterior alterations can unintentionally alter
or destroy a building’s distinctive architectural features. Similarly, new construc-
tion in an old neighborhood that doesn’t recognize the existing patterns of
building, landscape, and streetscape gradually begins to erode the sense of
place that is part of that neighborhood. This is not a matter of cheap versus
expensive construction, but rather thoughtful design that recognizes context.
These Guidelines are intended to encourage residents of Eugene to appreciate
local history and the historic character of our city. They are written to be
general enough to apply to all historic houses in the city. They also address
design for infill construction that is compatible with the character of surrounding
historic neighborhoods. As the guidelines come to be used and accepted by
citizens they can be applied to other new construction.
Eugene has a broad range of historic buildings, and an active historic
preservation program. Over the past decade and a half, in cooperation with the
University of Oregon and the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office, the
City has conducted an ongoing survey of cultural resources within the city limits.
Introduction
1
Why Preserve Old Buildings?
26
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
Introduction
This partnership has led to the completion of cultural resource inventories for the
following neighborhoods, shown below and on the map at right:
College Hill (1985-87)
Fairmount Neighborhood (1985-87)
South University Neighborhood (1985-87, 1999-2000)
West University Neighborhood (1986-87)
Eugene Downtown (1989-92)
Chase Gardens/Old Coburg Road (1991-92)
Whiteaker Neighborhood (1993-95)
Jefferson Neighborhood (1996-1997)
Westside Neighborhood (1997-98)
These surveys have inventoried over 4,000 properties, and resulted in protec-
tion of over three hundred historic resources, including two historic districts
listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Eugene is experiencing a high
interest in historic preservation and the protection of historic resources. This
phenomenon relates to growing concern about livability and growth manage-
ment in Eugene. The number of historic houses in Eugene is limited, making
them highly desirable to own and rehabilitate.
Properties that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places are
often eligible for enrollment in the Oregon Special Assessment Program.
This program is meant to serve as an incentive to rehabilitate historic
properties by freezing the assessed value for property taxes at the current
rate for fifteen years, allowing property owners to benefit from the tax
savings by requiring reinvestment with careful maintenance and appropriate
rehabilitation. The guidelines are intended to assist property owners
already enrolled in the program, or those that are considering enrolling.
Income producing properties, including rental houses and bed & break-
fasts, that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places may be eligible
for the Federal Tax Credit for Rehabilitation of Income Producing Historic
Property. This program encourages rehabilitations by offering owners a 20%
tax credit with a 30 year depreciation schedule for the entire building cost
(minus 50% of the tax credit). The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO)
in Salem can provide further information about these programs, and can be
reached at 503-378-4168.
Incentives for Historic Rehabilitation
2
27
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
Introduction
3
* Cultural resource surveys identify all buildings, landscape features, objects, and sites
over 50 years of age and evaluate their historic significance. The surveys do not
include archaeological resources
28
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
These Design Guidelines are advisory, and are intended to be flexible and
provide room for interpretation. As property owners come to understand
the distinctive architectural and landscape features of their properties, they
will be able to understand the best and most practical way to apply the
guidelines.
The first step in this process is to analyze the unique characteristics of your
historic property before making decisions about rehabilitation , alterations, or
the design of new construction. Depending on the significance of the property,
its condition, and how you intend to use it, one of three different treatment
strategies will be most appropriate:
Rehabilitation - allows for alteration or addition to a historic property to
accommodate continuing or changing uses while retaining the property’s
historical, cultural, and architectural values. This method focuses on repair
and replacement of deteriorated features, and ensures that any alterations or
additions are compatible with the character of the property and its setting.
Preservation - focuses on sustaining the existing form, materials, and
integrity of a historic property through ongoing maintenance and repair of
historic materials and features, rather than extensive replacement or new
construction. New exterior additions are not consistent with this treatment
approach. However, limited and sensitive upgrading of plumbing, electrical,
and mechanical systems, and other code-required work to make the
property functional, is appropriate.
Restoration - involves accurately depicting the form, features, and charac-
ter of a property as it appeared at a particular period of time. This typically
involves the removal of features from other periods in its history, and
reconstruction of missing features from the restoration period. Here again
limited and sensitive upgrading of utility systems and other code-required
work is appropriate.
Typically rehabilitation is the most appropriate treatment strategy for a prop-
erty that will continue to be used as a residence, and so rehabilitation is the
treatment strategy that is the focus of this document.
Treatment Strategies
Introduction
4
29
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties 5
Introduction
The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards
for the Rehabilitation of Historic Properties
The Secretary of the Interior’ s Standards for the Rehabilitation of His-
toric Properties were developed to serve as a national set of guidelines for
rehabilitation work on any type of historic property. As legally defined, historic
properties can include buildings, sites, structures, objects, and districts. Put
more generally, a historic property could be a house, a garage, a train depot, a
bridge, a war monument, or an agricultural landscape, like a filbert orchard.
The Secretary’ s Standards are the benchmark to work toward when rehabili-
tating historic properties in Eugene. The Eugene Advisory Design Guidelines
follow the recommendations set forth in the Secretary’ s Standards, but are
written to be more specific and applicable to Eugene’s historic resources. The
ten standards are interpreted below:
1. A property will be used as it was historically or be given a new use that
requires minimal change to its distinctive materials, features, spaces, and
spatial relationships.
This standard is most significant if you are converting a house to
commercial or office use. When a house remains in residential use this
is less of an issue, though modern residential needs are quite different
from those of, say, the 1920s. Kitchens and bathrooms are commonly
updated, and sometimes expanded, resulting in the removal of walls and
door openings. The key point to remember is to avoid the loss of char-
acter defining features and significant historic spaces as you plan for
future rehabilitation.
2. The historic character of a property shall be retained and preserved. The
removal of distinctive materials or alterations of features, spaces, and
spatial relationships that characterize a property shall be avoided.
The first step in evaluating your historic property is identifying its
distinctive materials, features, and spaces. Evaluate the condition of existing
historic materials to decide whether materials will be repaired, maintained,
or replaced. This will help you understand what is important to preserve as
you prepare your plans for future repairs, maintenance, or alterations. Aim
to preserve the functional and decorative features that define the character
of the building, such as historic windows, doors, columns, balustrades,
stairs, and porches. Also, consider the relationship of the house and
outbuildings to paths, sidewalks, and significant historic landscaping.
30
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
3. Each property shall be recognized as a physical record of its time,
place, and use. Changes that create a false sense of historical develop-
ment, such as adding conjectural features or elements from other
historic properties, shall not be undertaken.
Another important element of understanding and protecting the his-
toric character of your house is learning its date of construction, its architec-
tural style, and the sylistic features that are characteristic of that style. Keep
this information in mind when making decisions about replacing missing
elements or adding to the house. If you own a Bungalow, Colonial Revival
details like fanlights, pilasters, or pedimented doorways are not appropriate
for your house. Similarly, avoid installing “gingerbread” or fancy cut out
work to your porch or gable unless you have a Gothic Revival or Queen
Anne style house. (See pages 11-18 for descriptions of historic styles)
4. Changes to a property that have acquired historic significance in their own
right will be retained and preserved.
A house constructed in 1890 will almost certainly have been altered.
Most common is the updating of kitchens and bathrooms, but many
houses have had exterior alterations as well. A porch in Oregon could
need major repairs, or even replacement, in twenty-five years if it has
not been well maintained. Some such alterations may now be histori-
cally significant themselves. For example, if you have an 1890 Queen Anne
house that was remodeled in 1918 to give it a “Craftsman” look, you may
want to retain the historic alterations.
5. Distinctive materials, features, finishes, and construction techniques or
examples of craftsmanship that characterize a property shall be preserved.
Every historic house contains materials and finishes that are unique to
its style and period of construction. This might be the tongue and
groove board floor of a Bungalow porch, or the octagonal window of a
Minimal Traditional style house. Historic houses in Eugene are
typically constructed of wood, so board siding and wood divided-light
windows are examples of construction techniques and craftsmanship that
should be preserved.
6. Deteriorated historic features will be repaired rather than replaced. Where
the severity of deterioration requires replacement of a distinctive feature,
the new material shall match the old in design, color, texture, and, where
possible, materials. Replacement of missing features shall be substantiated
by documentary and physical evidence.
Introduction
6
31
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties 7
Introduction
Historic images of your house will help you identify if the house has
been altered, and is missing a distinctive feature like a bay window or eave
brackets. You may also be able to find clues on the building itself, such as
paint shadows, nail holes, or patching in the siding, suggesting that a historic
feature has been removed. The Lane County Historical Society and previ-
ous owners are good sources for historic photographs. When you replace
missing or heavily deteriorated features use materials of the same size and
shape as the originals.
7. Chemical or physical treatments, if appropriate, shall be undertaken using
the gentlest means possible. Treatments that cause damage to historic
materials shall not be used.
Never sand blast historic building materials to remove paint. This will
result in pitting and texturing of the materials, particularly wood and
brick. Sand blasting has been known to hasten deterioration of historic
materials. Pressure washing with water at a low pressure can be an
effective method to clean a historic house and prepare it for painting.
Avoid pressure washing at a high pressure because it can damage
historic materials, or force water into the interior cavities of a house,
particularly around windows.
8. Archeological resources shall be protected and preserved in place. If such
resources must be disturbed, mitigation measures shall be undertaken.
Archeological resources include Native American artifacts, as well as
artifacts from Euro-American settlement in Eugene that are more than
seventy-five years old. You might find evidence of an outbuilding
foundation, or a past burn barrel on your property. It is important to
recognize and document, with photographs and drawings, such discov-
eries. While pieces of broken glass, metal, crockery, or old marbles are
exciting to discover, these are generally not considered significant archeo-
logical resources.
9. New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction shall not
destroy historic materials, features, and spatial relationships that characterize
the property. The new work shall be differentiated from the old and shall be
compatible with the historic materials, features, size, scale and proportion, and
massing to protect the integrity of the property and its environment.
Additions to historic properties require special consideration for how
the addition will complement the historic building, the site, and neighborhood
in which it is constructed. The design can be contemporary, or
32
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
reference historic elements of the building. Contemporary style addi-
tions are sometimes used effectively with large commercial or institutional
projects, but are used less often with residential projects. Residential
additions should differentiate themselves from the historic building, while
being compatible in terms of mass, materials, color, and relationship of
solids to voids. Typically, a new addition should be placed on a rear or side
elevation to limit the visual impact from the street. The size and scale of new
additions should harmonize with the historic building.
10. New additions and adjacent or related new construction shall be undertaken
in such a manner that, if removed in the future, the essential form and integ-
rity of the historic property and its environment would be unimpaired.
An addition should be designed so that it will become a significant part
of the building’s history over time, which means using quality design
and materials. A new addition respects the historic building to which it
is attached, and does not obscure, damage, or destroy character defin-
ing details, like a bay window or brackets in the eaves. Keep in mind
the idea that if the addition is removed in the future, it should be
possible to rehabilitate the building to its original form.
Introduction
8
33
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
Eugene was established in 1846 on the Donation Land Claim of Eugene and
Mary Skinner. Their pioneer cabin was located on what we today call Skinner
Butte. The first town plat was east of the butte and south of the Willamette
River. The river served as both an asset and an obstacle. It facilitated transpor-
tation of goods, and with the construction of the millrace in the 1850s, it pro-
vided power to run sawmills and other industrial operations around which the
town grew. The obstacle of the river was lessened by the ferry service Skinner
started near the present site of Ferry Street bridge.
The first plat for the town was laid out in 1851 in the area now bounded by
Pearl Street on the west, Eighth Avenue on the south, and the Willamette River
on the north. Four more plats were added to the burgeoning town by 1856. The
large land claims of Skinner, Charnel Mulligan, Hilyard Shaw, and other early
settlers were progressively divided into smaller farms, and in turn into individual
home sites as the city matured. The availability of sawn lumber from Shaw’s mill
facilitated construction of wood-frame houses in the area immediately south of
Skinner’s Butte.
Between 1870 and 1880 the city’s population grew from 861 to 1,111,
spurred on by the establishment of the University of Oregon in 1876. By
the 1870s, the city’s growing grid of dirt streets was lined with plank
sidewalks. Larger, quarter-block lots were subdivided for more houses,
and residential development started to spread out from the downtown core
along the expanding street grid. The simple wood-frame Classic Revival
and Vernacular Gothic houses of the early settlement period gave way to
more stylish Italianate residences in the 1880s, as the arrival of the railroad
allowed building supplies, mail order architectural elements, and even
entire houses to be shipped from the east.
Promotion of Eugene as an ideal place to live was in full swing by the
1890s. The city expanded tremendously in two growth spurts near the turn
of the century. The first came in the mid-1890s, as the nation recovered
from an economic depression in the early 1890s. The second came during
1909-1912 as the Willamette Valley boomed following the publicity of the
Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition in Portland in 1905. Fifty new
additions and subdivisions were added during this period. College Hill
Park and Fairmount were platted as fashionable residential areas during
the 1890s. The growth of 1909-1912 saw large tracts of more modest
bungalows filling in the Fairmount, West University, Whiteaker, Westside, and
Jefferson neighborhoods.
Introduction
9
Eugene Takes Shape: Residential Development 1846-1950
34
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
Introduction
This growth in outlying neighborhoods was spurred by the development of
the city’s first trolley system, actually drawn by mules, which served the
College Hill and downtown area beginning in 1891. The system converted
to electric streetcars during 1907-10 and expanded to serve the “streetcar
suburbs” developing in the Fairmount, Jefferson, Westside, and Whiteaker
neighborhoods, as well as in Springfield. The system served the city until 1927,
when the streetcars were replaced with buses and private automobiles, and the
tracks were either removed or paved over. However, one can still see the trolley
tracks in the pavement of some neighborhood streets.
The lull in building brought by the First World War was followed by
another boom during the 1920s. The Fairmont, South University, and
College Hill neighborhoods filled in, as did other outlying areas made
accessible by the growth of automobile ownership. The Great Depression
and World War II greatly slowed residential construction again during the
1930s and 1940s, though public works projects by the Civilian Conserva-
tion Corps gave the city the original Hendricks Park picnic shelter (destroyed in
a storm and rebuilt in 1999), the Eugene Emeralds Stadium, and a system of
stone walls at Skinner Butte.
Starting in the Great Depression and continuing through the war years, the
Minimal Traditional and World War II Era Cottage styles were in great demand
in Eugene. This house type remained popular as a “starter” home well into the
1950s, when a family could afford something larger in the developing suburban
neighborhoods on the south and west sides of town. After World War II the
one-level Suburban Ranch became the favored house choice for returning
veterans. As development moved further away from the city center, the car
became indispensable, and its importance was reflected in the attached one-car
garage or carport that became standard following the war. A two bedroom
version of the suburban ranch with a garage could be purchased for as little as
$10,000 under the G.I. Bill.
While many people may envision a settlement log cabin, a bungalow, or a
Queen Anne style mansion when they think of historic houses, the passage
of time constantly brings more recent buildings into the realm of historic
significance. As an example, more than fifty years have now passed since
the end of World War II in 1945, and many houses of the initial Post-War
building boom are now eligible for listing on the National Register. These
Advisory Design Guidelines are an invitation to you as a homeowner or
resident of Eugene to learn how your house and the other buildings around
you tie in with our city’s past, and how you can take part in preserving
Eugene’s history for generations to come.
10
35
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
Design Guidelines for
Rehabilitation and Alteration of
Historic Residential Properties
Craftsman style Phi Delta Theta fraternity house at University of OregonLane County Historical Museum, # GN1600
36
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
37
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
Facade Orientation & Setbacks
The main facade is the exterior face of a building which is considered to
be the architectural front. It is sometimes distinguished from the other sides by
the use of more elaborate architectural detail and ornamentation.
The facade oriented to the street or corner should be maintained in the
historic manner, respecting details of the historic period and style.
Rehabilitation work should be based on sound pictorial or documented
evidence. Avoid creating a false historical appearance that is inappro-
priate to the historic architectural style.
Additions and structural alterations should be limited to the rear or sides
that are minimally visible from the public right-of-way. Original features
of the facade, like balconies, porches, bay windows, siding, trim details
and dormers are to be retained and rehabilitated.
Roof Form
The repair and alteration of roofs should match the original shape and
pitch. Distinctive decorative features of the roof should be retained.
Roof pitches in Eugene are generally medium to steeply pitched. The
shallow pitched roof is out of place with all but the modern styles like the
Suburban Ranch or World War II Era Cottage. Gables face the street or run
parallel to the street. Hipped roofs have a solid appearance and can be less
steep than gabled roofs. Structural and decorative features like dormers,
chimneys, exposed rafters, and decorative work should be retained and
rehabilitated.
In Oregon, wood shingles were the common roofing material prior to
1920, when composition shingles came into popular use. When financially
feasible, roof materials should be repaired or replaced in kind. Rooftop buildup
should never be more than three layers. If a portion of the original roof exists, a
section of it can be saved to document patterns, materials, and textures for
matching in the future. The composition shingle roof is acceptable for historic
properties because it is more affordable than wood shingles and usually offers
greater fire resistance. Composition shingle colors like dark gray and green are
appropriate historic colors for residential architecture in Eugene.
Rehabilitation & Alterations
19
Guidelines for Rehabilitation
and Alterations of Historic Houses
Hip Roof
Gambrel Roof
Gable Roof
Clipped Gable or
Jerkinhead Roof
38
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
Dormers open up a second floor or an unused attic space to create another
room, and provide much needed light. They must be designed in proportion to
the roof area and to other windows in the house. Dormers that did not exist
historically should be kept to the rear of the house and out of view from the
public right-of-way whenever possible.
Protection: Regular maintenance and repair of flashing, gutters, siding, and
caulking in joints and seams is vital. Anchor roof material adequately to
prevent wind and rain damage. Do not allow a leaking roof to go
unrepaired, as it accelerates the deterioration of a structure.
Alterations: Do not install roof features that never existed or that create a
false historical appearance. This can include cupolas, cresting, or ornate
and corbeled chimneys. Dormers, skylights, roof vents, plumbing vents,
wood stove flues, mechanical systems and roof decks need to be incon-
spicuous from the public right-of-way. Avoid damaging distinctive archi-
tectural features when making these installations.
Exterior Siding & Details
Wherever possible, original siding should be retained or restored, and
maintained rather than be replaced.
In Eugene, wood was the predominant building material used for residen-
tial architecture. It was abundant, cheap, and easily worked to produce
siding, moldings, decorative features and interior finishes. It is important
to identify and protect character defining wood features on the primary
facades, such as cornices, brackets, or window moldings. Destructive paint
removal methods, like propane or butane torches, sandblasting, and high
pressure water blasting, should not be used, as they can permanently damage
historic woodwork. Keep in mind that original wood is often of higher quality
than replacement products available today.
Rehabilitation & Alterations
Gabled Dormer Shed Dormer Hipped Dormer Eyebrow Dormer
20
39
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
Horizontal siding comes in four distinct types: clapboard, weatherboard, shiplap
and tongue and groove. Siding ranges from 4 to 6 inches in width for the
average size house. Avoid unpainted and stained wood because siding in
Eugene appears to have been consistently painted in the historic period. Certain
styles of architecture (most notably the Queen Anne style) used wood shingles
in combination with horizontal siding.
The Suburban Ranch and Minimal Traditional styles typically featured siding of
eight to ten inch wide horizontal boards, often tongue and groove. During the
1930s manufactured wood shingles with a ten inch exposure became available,
and are sometimes found on historic houses built in the 1930s through 1950s.
Architectural details on a historic house are often found at the roof peak, the
tops and bottoms of porch posts, above windows, at the corners of houses, and
in porch railings. Moldings are located where a vertical and horizontal surface
meet (like where the wall meets the roof). The ends of fascia boards and rafters
can be shaped to lend a distinctive and friendly character to the house.
Protection: Regular maintenance and repair of flashing, gutters, siding, and
caulking in joints and seams is vital. Vines growing on a house, and plant
material that is positioned too close, can cause damage to wood siding. Fungus
and insect infestations should be kept in check. Paint application should follow
proper surface preparation. Manufacturer’s instructions, and application instruc-
tions, should be adhered to when applying new paint.
Alterations: Avoid covering wood with stains or clear varnishes that
create a “natural look” if this was not the original finish of the building. Wood
siding and details should not be removed and replaced with materials that create
a different appearance. New materials used on additions should match or be
compatible with existing siding. Horizontal wood siding is the most common in
Eugene, and vertical board and T-1-11 sheathing should be discouraged. Other
siding materials that are usually inappropriate include plywood, brick, wood
shakes, cement stucco and aluminum and vinyl.
Rehabilitation & Alterations
21
Drop siding Weatherboard siding Shiplap siding
40
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
Windows & Doors
Retain and preserve existing windows and distinctive decorative fea-
tures like frames, muntins, sills, and moldings .
Windows provide for light and ventilation in the historic house. Their design and
arrangement is usually the primary decoration of an old house. If original win-
dows are irreparable, new windows, and windows on additions, need to be
compatible with original windows in form, materials, type, pattern, and place-
ment of openings. Windows for historic houses in Eugene can be divided into
two groups: those built before and after 1935.
Windows up to 1935 - Houses from this era typically incorporated
vertical window arrangements, either single, paired or triple, depending
on the architectural style. Double-hung wooden windows are the most
common window type in Eugene. Casement windows, which swing out,
were also common. They have a center divider which makes each
casement appear as a separate vertical window. One casement can be
paired with a fixed pane window to provide a pleasing effect at less
cost. For houses built up to 1935, the broad and horizontal picture
window is generally not an appropriate replacement.
Windows on houses built prior to 1935 should be trimmed with wood,
following the proportions and detailing that exist, or that are appropriate for
the style of architecture. Awnings were made of canvas and were operable.
Awnings should fit with the style of window and should be made to look
compatible with the architecture in color and design.
Windows after 1935 - The mid-1930s marked the introduction of
aluminum windows, large picture windows, and corner windows into
common use; though in Oregon the abundant timber supply meant that
wood windows continued to dominate into the 1950s. In the 1930s the
two over two double hung window was common to this era of house.
As well, glass blocks were a new window type and can be seen flank-
ing entrance doors and used in laundry rooms and bathrooms. Alumi-
num awnings became popular for their low maintenance requirements,
and may be appropriate for houses built after this time.
Protection: Deterioration of windows usually begins on horizontal sur-
faces where water collects. Annually ensure that materials such as the frame
and glazing are maintained and protected from the elements. A properly painted
and glazed window is the best protection from the weather.
Rehabilitation & Alterations
22
double hung sash
casement
paired
triple
stepped
Post-1935: corner
Post-1935: picture
41
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
Alterations: Removing a historic window and blocking the opening, or replac-
ing it with a new window conveying a different appearance than the original is
strongly discouraged. If new windows are unavoidable, they should be compat-
ible with the historic character and details of your house.
Also consider the pre/post-1935 rule in choosing storm windows for your home.
For houses built prior to 1935, storm windows that are historically appropriate
are those that are made of wood. These replaced wood frame screens during
the colder seasons. They were hung from two hooks at the top of the casement
on the exterior of a building, and were usually painted the same color as the
window sash. Aluminum storm windows are more appropriate for houses built
after 1935, though some aluminum storm windows come in colors and shapes
that are compatible with pre-1935 windows. Interior storm windows are
available that can be installed on the interior of historic windows using magnetic
strips. In short, weatherization is important, but explore options that will be
compatible with historic character as well as energy efficient.
Porches
Avoid removing or replacing original doors and porches and distinctive
decorative features like columns, balustrades, and stairs.
The front porch is a characteristic feature of many styles of historic residential
architecture. A historic porch serves as the transition from the street to the
interior of the house. Porches can be energy saving because they shade the
house and protect the entry from the weather. Porches provide a cool place to
sit when it is hot, and a dry place when it is wet - two conditions that together
pretty much cover the entire year in Eugene.
Rehabilitation & Alterations
23
Aluminum replacement windows detract
from this house’ s historic character
The retrofitted fanlight on this bungalow is
inappropriate to the house’ s style
42
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
Porches can be as wide as the house, or cover only part of a house’s front. A
veranda is a porch that wraps around two or more sides of a house. Roofing
material of the porch typically matches the roof of the house, as do the details of
a porch’s eaves. Porch floors are an element that is often lost in rehabilitation
projects. Porch floors on historic houses were typically made of tongue and
groove lumber and protected with gray deck paint.
Columns define a porch’s character and style of detailing. Trim moldings at the
top and base of columns are also important elements. Railings vary, but are the
feature that defines the porch space. The drawings at left illustrate a range of
materials and forms of a bungalow porch.
Protection: Keep materials clean and painted to preserve them from
deterioration that results from weathering and continued use.
Alterations: Replacing an entire porch is not appropriate when viable historic
material exists. Porch decking should be constructed of wood, usually of
tongue and groove boards. Avoid replacing wood porch decks with poured
concrete slabs. Do not cut new entrances into the facades that are visible
from the public right-of-way. Do not enclose porches in a manner that
creates a look that is incompatible with historic structures, such as using brick or
stucco, or installing aluminum storm windows to enclose the space. Repairs to
existing original porches do not need to meet code requirements for elements
such as railing height or baluster spacing, though new construction must comply.
When trying to replicate a historic porch that has been removed, base your
construction drawings on historic photographs and sound historic research.
If you can’t find historic photographs, use a period design that is suitable
for the style of architecture. Replicate trim details and siding material of the
house. Never construct new porches that destroy or cover up character-
defining features of the architecture.
Rehabilitation & Alterations
24
Inappropriate porch renovation #1
This porch’ s floor has been removed, and the
columns are supported by ornamental cinder blocks
Inappropriate porch renovation #2
Here the porch has been walled in to
expand an interior room
43
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
Foundations
Changes to foundations should match or be compatible with original
foundations in height and use of materials.
Foundation height helps to establish the design of a structure. Porch steps,
water tables, ventilators and access doors or windows, are features that are
considered to be part of foundations. Every measure needs to be taken to
preserve these details with the replacement of a foundation.
Where buildings are on wood post and masonry pad foundations, concrete
block and poured concrete wall foundations are acceptable replacements.
Decorative concrete block should be avoided as they have no relationship
to historic materials. Often foundations were covered with 1" x 4" vertical wood
skirting. If skirting exists make every effort to replicate the historic look and
material after the masonry foundation is installed. Textured paint and thin coat
stucco can be applied to concrete block and poured concrete foundations to
imitate the historic appearance of poured concrete. The height of the replace-
ment foundation should consider stairs, access doors, windows, and ventilators;
and ensure that the installation of the foundation will not detract from character
defining features of the structure. These might include unique moldings or the
water table that runs horizontally around the base of many older houses.
Plantings of appropriate shrubbery and perennials can help to disguise new
foundations. Bolting the sill of the building to the new foundation is a good idea
for seismic safety and to obtain earthquake insurance.
Paint Schemes
The restoration of original colors on historic residential architecture is
desirable, but not always feasible. Colors appropriate to the style and era
are encouraged. Avoid painting originally unpainted surfaces like brick.
Paint provides protection for all the elements of an old house. Original colors
can often be determined by careful investigation of peeling paint or by sanding an
inconspicuous area protected from the weather to reveal the color layers.
Prior to 1860, white was the most common color of paint on American
houses. Early homeowners depended on painters who mixed dry colors with
lead and oil for each job. Between 1860 and 1890 the paint industry developed
machinery to grind pigment in oil and containers were produced for the trans-
portation of paint. East coast fashions generally traveled west. By the 1880s
Oregon houses were painted in a palette of greens, grays, yellows and browns.
Rehabilitation & Alterations
25
44
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
At the end of the nineteenth century the fashion returned to simpler decoration
and styles inspired from the country’s colonial past. Pale colors were used, and
often white was used for trim. With the bungalow craze of the early 1900s came
a renewed interest in earthy tones, light browns and grays, which remained
popular with the English-influenced styles of the 1910s and 1920s. The early
modern tract-type housing, which appeared just before World War II and
spread widely following the war, utilized white and other light colors.
The following pages include a list of sample color combinations that were
characteristic of the predominant historic architectural styles identified in
Eugene. The color you paint your house is often a form of personal expression,
and should not be dictated. The information here is intended to offer guidance in
selecting a color scheme that is consistent with both the architectural character
of your house and your individual taste. Be aware, though, that historic proper-
ties receiving tax incentives through the Oregon Special Assessment Program
are subject to stricter standards for historic compatibility, and need to have
paint colors approved by the State Historic Preservation Office.
GOTHIC REVIV AL - This style was often painted in light browns and flesh
tones. Trim was painted the same or similar color, or dark brown. Doors and
shutters were typically a darker tone of the wall or trim colors.
ITALIANATE - Italianate houses were typically painted in warm, light
colors with contrasting trim and dark doors. Trim was often the same
color, but in a different shade—either lighter or darker. For example,
house walls might be painted a warm brown with beige trim and a dark
brown door.
QUEEN ANNE - This style was often painted in a variety of dark colors,
mainly browns, greens, reds, oranges, and grays. Combinations might
include an olive main wall color, with reddish brown contrasting shingle
work, red-orange trim, and dark red window sashes. Many people think of
the brightly contrasting “painted ladies” of San Francisco as examples of
color schemes for Queen Anne and Italianate buildings. While these are
expressive and fun, a typical historic color scheme would have been more
earthy and muted.
CRAFTSMAN & BUNGALOW - The natural materials of this style were
often stained or left untreated to weather, though in Oregon this style was
usually painted. Typical body colors included cream, gray, medium brown, or
medium green; with contrasting trim in either a lighter or darker tone.
Rehabilitation & Alterations
26
45
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
COLONIAL REVIV AL - In an effort to echo the colonial past, white was a
common color for this style. Often the body and trim would be painted all in one
color, whether white, pale yellow, gray, or cream; with doors and shutters
painted a dark brown, red, or green for contrast.
TUDOR REVIVAL - The primary color scheme here was white or buff
colored walls, with black or dark brown used for the half timbering.
Unpainted brick was also a common exterior treatment.
ENGLISH COTTAGE - Common body colors for wood or stucco walls
were white, buff, beige, or gray. Trim colors were typically darker browns
and grays.
NORMAN FARMHOUSE - Colors for the Norman Farmhouse style
were similar to those for the English Cottage and Tudor Revival styles:
mainly white, cream, and light grays for the body with darker grays or
browns for trim.
CALIFORNIA MISSION - Mission style buildings typically incorpo-
rated light earth-tone color schemes, and might feature beige walls with darker
trim and terra cotta tile roofs. White or pastel (light pinks, yellow, blue, green)
walls are also fairly common.
EARLY MODERN STYLES - The Early Modern styles, including the
Minimal Traditional, World War II Era Cottage, and Suburban Ranch, generally
shared common color schemes. Walls were typically white or pastels, with trim
generally painted the same color or a slightly darker shade for contrast. A still
darker shade of the same color might be used on the front door.
Rehabilitation & Alterations
27
Color choice is a personal decision for a building
owner, and should not be dictated. These suggested
colors are intended to help you select a paint scheme
that is consistent with both your individual taste and
the historic character of your house.
46
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
Solar Panels & Other Utility Systems
Position mechanical systems so they are not visible from the public view.
Property owners who wish to install solar panels on historic architecture need to
ensure that the panels will not be placed on the primary facade or front roof of
the house. Solar panels, mechanical systems, and piping are best positioned at
the back or side of the house, out of the public view. This is easy when the rear
of the house faces south, but when the front facade faces south a solar panel
array can be placed in the back yard to shield it from the street view.
The satellite dish is also common, so care should be taken to not place them in
prominent view on the house. Heat pumps are an effective alternative heat
source and the mechanical systems (similar to an air conditioning unit) need to
be positioned to the back or side of the house, out of the public view. These
systems can be screened by plantings or low fences if necessary.
Rehabilitation & Alterations
28
...as do satellite dishesSolar panels on front of a house
alter its historic appearance...
Solar panels on the rear of the roof help
maintain the historic streetscape
47
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
Garages & Outbuildings
Garages and outbuildings should not be overlooked as important compo-
nents of historic properties.
America has had a love affair with the automobile from the beginning. No single
invention has changed the way we live and how our environment looks more
than the “horseless carriage.” In the 1890s the automobile was a novelty of the
rich, but by 1910 auto ownership was so widespread that a new building type
had to be invented. For a period, carriage houses were converted to
accomodate the car. With the building boom of the 1910s the single-car
detached garage was constructed with measurements of 12 x 18 feet. Multi-
car garages were built by repeating these proportions.
Garages were often designed to match the siding, roof form and details of the
houses for which they were built. Gabled roofs were typical, but flat, shed,
gambrel, and hipped roofs were also common. Garage floors were usually
poured concrete, but some were gravel, or simply board or dirt.
The historic garage had windows to provide ventilation and light. One window
on each wall was typical and the stock sash units used on houses were com-
mon. The first garage doors were similar to barns, with big strap hinges, and
doors that swung outward. New door types were soon invented, with sliding
doors, divided into vertical sections, sliding along the interior wall of the garage.
Bifold and accordion doors were also common. The sectional roll-up door, the
most popular today, appeared early in the 20th century. The idea was devel-
oped from the roll top desk.
Alleys were used as secondary roads for small garages and parking the auto-
mobile, along with garbage pick up, in many neighborhoods. Other 1920s
houses had long driveways to the main street, with garages set back and
separate from the house. As the automobile grew in size, so did the garages,
sometimes with a two foot shed extension to accomodate the hoods of the
1930s and 1940s behemoths.
As the car became more integral to daily life it was inevitable that it would come
to “live” with us. By the 1920s and 1930s the attached garage was common,
sometimes connected by a breezeway or directly abutting the house. Ulti-
mately, there was a complete integration of house and garage. Basement-level
garages were built under the main living quarters, sometimes with a steep
29
Rehabilitation & Alterations
Historic free-standing
garage types
Shed roof
Flat roof
Hipped roof
48
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties30
down-sloping driveway. With the birth of the Ranch style house, and later the
split-level, the blank-faced double garage door was unabashedly displayed as
the primary facade of the house.
Alterations: If you’re rebuilding a historic garage or building a new one, echo
the shape, pitch, and material of your house’s roof. Early garages often had
exposed rafter tails. More stylish garages had eaves that were finished in the
same manner as the house. Whatever paint color is most appropriate to the
style and age of your house also applies to the garage. The panels on the
garage door were usually painted the body color of the building, while the stiles
and braces were painted in the complementary trim color.
The key element in garage design is the garage door. This door will help define
the date of the structure. Many of the new overhead roll up doors don’t have
the correct period look, and are often constructed of inappropriate fiberglass
and other light weight materials. Typical early garage doors were often paneled,
with the top third glazed. Period style swinging doors can be constructed as
one door, and be activated with a garage door opener, retaining a historic look
while providing convenience.
Houses built after World War II might have had a carport, which is another type
of shelter for the automobile. As with garages, these should be designed to be
compatible with your historic house. In general, follow the guidelines for infill
construction described here.
Rehabilitation & Alterations
Three-panel swinging doors Paneled bi-fold garage doors
49
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
Design Guidelines for
Infill Construction
in Historic Neighborhoods
Lane County Historical Museum, # GN1600
Northwest corner of 11th Avenue and Hilyard Street
50
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
51
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
Eugene’s historic residential neighborhoods developed over many decades, and
contain houses of many different styles, shapes and sizes. Because of this, there
is no single blueprint for a new house that will be compatible with any given
historic neighborhood. The first step in designing a new building that “works” in
an older neighborhood is to look for patterns in the existing buildings. How large
are other houses on the street? What kind of roofs do they have? How far are
they set back from the street? Are they built of wood? Brick? What do their
entryways and windows look like? Is the garage set back from the house?
A compatible infill building or accessory unit should complement the existing
patterns of its neighborhood. This doesn’t mean building a replica of the house
across the street, or a house that tries to create a false historic appearance.
Attempt to design a building (whether it is a house, and addition, or a garage)
that uses a similar “architectural vocabulary” to its neighbors. Key elements of
that vocabulary are described and illustrated below.
Facade Orientation & Setbacks
Front and side yard setbacks should be consistent with those of adjacent
houses on the block to maintain the “rhythm” of buildings and open space on the
street. The typical pattern in Eugene’s historic neighborhoods are houses
located in the middle of their lots with front entrances facing the street. Excep-
tions to this include houses situated at one edge of a lot with a larger side
yard, and corner-lot houses with corresponding corner entrances. The main
entrance should be visible from the street. Infill development should follow
whichever pattern is dominant on the surrounding block. As with other additions
discussed in the previous section, accessory units should be placed on the
rear of houses or lots to limit their visual impact as seen from the street.
Infill Construction
31
Designed to Fit...
By maintaining the existing setback,
new construction fits better into the
historic streetscape
New construction set back from the
street disrupts the rythm of the
historic development pattern
52
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
Building Height & Massing
The height and massing of new buildings should be consistent with that of
surrounding historic buildings in a neighborhood. In most Eugene neighborhoods
this means buildings of one to one-and-a-half stories in height, although
some historic styles, like the American Foursquare, are a two full stories.
Historic apartment buildings are three and four stories tall in some neigh-
borhoods. A building’s “massing” is the arrangement of its volumes, whether
symmetrical or asymmetrical, in a central block, L-shaped, or arranged in
wings.
Roof Form
The roof form of new construction should be compatible with that of existing
development on a block, in terms of type (gable or hip roof), pitch (steep or
shallow), and orientation (whether the gable end faces the street).
Exterior Siding & Details
Materials used on new buildings should be consistent with the predomi-
nant materials used on other houses in a neighborhood. In most Eugene
neighborhoods the predominant material is wooden clapboard or shiplap
siding with a width of four to six inches, although some housing from the 1920s
and 1930s feature brick or stucco exterior walls. Fabricated wood siding such
as T-1-11, along with exposed concrete block, are not recommended. Vinyl
and aluminum siding are not allowed on City Historic Landmark properties, and
not encouraged in historic neighborhoods. A common problem is that prefabri-
cated window and door trim used with vinyl and aluminum siding is often
narrower than appropriate for most historic buildings, or for new buildings in
historic neighborhoods.
Infill Construction
32
One story One-and-a-half
stories
Two stories One story
with full basement
53
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
Windows & Doors
The relationship of width to height of windows and doors, and the rhythm of
solids (walls) to openings (doors and windows), in new buildings should be
consistent with the dominant pattern set by surrounding historic buildings. For
neighborhoods developed prior to the 1940s this generally means vertical,
double-hung or casement, wood-frame windows. When placed in pairs or in
groups of three, as on many Craftsman houses, these create a horizontal im-
pression. Historic architecture displays a thoughtful use of natural lighting, often
with numerous and well-placed arrangements of windows.
Exterior Details
Infill development should not mimic architectural ornament such as gingerbread
or ornate brackets from surrounding buildings. Architectural elements that
would be consistent with surrounding buildings include eave details, such as
whether rafter tails are exposed or boxed-in, the use of a verge board, shingle
moldings, and wide window surrounds. Many historic houses have a drip edge
and water table that help to visually anchor the wall to the foundation. Use
details that are compatible to your neighborhood and the style of building you
are planning to build.
Porches
Historic houses built up until the mid-1930s tend to have front porches, and
often rear and/or side porches as well. A porch provides the occupants with an
outdoor room. Porches on new buildings should be of materials and propor-
tions consistent with the neighborhood. Wood railings and support posts are
strongly encouraged over prefabricated metal. Bungalows frequently featured
boxed-in porch railings, though historic railings were not as high as the building
Infill Construction
33
One of these things is not like the others...
The prominent garage, lack of a porch and visible front door, shallow-pitched roof, and horizon-
tal windows make the center house stand out as incompatible in a historic neighborhood
54
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
code currently requires. A porch may not be appropriate on new buildings in
neighborhoods developed after 1935 that did not feature them originally.
Foundations
Foundation material and the height of the exposed area between the ground
and the bottom of the walls should be consistent with other historic buildings in a
neighborhood. Poured concrete and concrete block covered with stucco are
generally appropriate. Exposure of one to three feet is generally consistent with
most historical housing types in Eugene.
Paint Schemes
The choice of color for a house greatly affects how that building will fit into a
neighborhood. While color choice is a personal decision for a building owner,
and should not be dictated, pages 26-27 describe colors typical of different
historic building styles to offer guidance in choosing colors compatible with the
buildings in your neighborhood.
Solar Panels & Other Utility Systems
As with additions and alterations to historic buildings, solar panels, sky-
lights, satellite dishes, and other external utility systems on infill develop-
ment in historic neighborhoods should be installed to the rear or side of a
building where they will not be visible from the street. See page 28 for images of
well placed and poorly placed systems.
Landscaping & Fences
Landscaping in neighborhoods built during the first half of the twentieth century
typically emphasized foundation plantings of shrubs and floral borders. Trees
either in front yards or sidewalk planting strips were also common. Wooden
picket fences of up to four feet in height were typical on late 19
th century and
some early 20th century houses. Tall privacy fences were not common in historic
neighborhoods, and should only be used around rear yards. Building code
allows these to be up to six feet in height. For more information on fences and
landscaping, turn to page 37.
Garages & Parking
If your lot is accessed by an alley, consider building the garage and extra
parking there, and particularly if this is the dominant pattern for garage place-
ment in your neighborhood.
Infill Construction
34
55
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
Guidelines for
Historic Interiors
Lane County Historical Museum, # H5A/58-113
Living room of the F . L. Chambers House at 7th and Charnelton , c. 1908
56
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
57
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
Historic Interiors
The interior floor plan, which is the arrangement of rooms and the planned
sequence of movement through these spaces, is probably the most impor-
tant interior aspect of a historic building to evaluate before considering
changes. Some rooms become obsolete for modern uses. This might be a
pantry, small enclosed porch, or large storage closet that might need to be
expanded to increase the square footage of a small kitchen or bedroom.
Built-in features, like cabinets and window seats, need to be considered
along with unusual applied finishes or decorative features. Wallpapers,
paint color, hardware, light or plumbing fixtures, balustrades, decorative
tin or plaster ceilings, and wood graining are some of the historic interior
features that need to be evaluated prior to removal or replacement.
All buildings contain primary interior spaces, such as the living room or dining
room in residential architecture. Secondary interior spaces, such as kitchens,
bathrooms, hallways, or utility areas, are rooms that are used to service the
primary spaces. After an evaluation, if you decide extensive changes to your
interior are essential, it is better to alter secondary interior spaces while pre-
serving as many aspects of primary spaces as possible.
The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation are applicable
to interior spaces. Also, the National Park Service’s Preservation Brief #18,
Rehabilitating Interiors in Historic Buildings, is available from the Eugene
Public Library and on the Internet. The Preservation Briefs series is an excellent
source of information to help you rehabilitate your historic home.
All houses contain
primary interior
spaces, like the
living room or
dining room. Aim
to preserve as many
aspects of these
primary spaces as
possible.
A Craftsman style living room with built-in bookcases flanking the hearth.
Illustration from Craftsman Homes, 1909
35
Preserving Historic Interiors
58
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
1. Avoid radically altering a floor plan or interior arrangement of
spaces.
2. The insertion of additional floors, dropping ceilings, or adding or
removing walls is not desirable.
3. Avoid painting previously varnished surfaces, or removing plaster
or wood to expose masonry walls.
4. Do not install new decorative material that covers up or disguises
character-defining interior finishes or details.
5. Do not strip interiors of original doors, windows, woodwork or
light fixtures.
6. Avoid destructive methods like sandblasting or torches to remove
paint or other finishes.
7. When removing a deteriorated interior feature that is irreparable -
like a tin ceiling, wainscoting or interior trim - replace it with a
compatible material that replicates the historic look.
8. Paint colors that are not compatible to the historic interior should
be avoided.
9. Protect significant interior features like mantels, balustrades and
flooring during rehabilitation to avoid gouging, scratching or
denting.
Historic Interiors
Guidelines for Interior Rehabilitations
36
Ground floor plan of a Craftsman style home. Note the window seat and
built-in book cases - common in many Bungalows and Craftsman houses.
Illustration from Craftsman Homes, 1909
59
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
Guidelines for
Historic Landscapes
Lane County Historical Museum, # KE403
Back yard of the J. O. Stewart Residence, 390 East 9th Avenue, c. 1944
60
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
61
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
This section of the Advisory Guidelines offers general information on the evalua-
tion, preservation and rehabilitation of historic residential landscapes located in
Eugene. When evaluating historic architecture for preservation or rehabilitation it
is important to consider the landscape elements that are located on the site, as
well as their relationship to the surrounding neighborhood. On-site elements
include outbuildings, fences, walls, driveways, paths, terraces, lawns, hedges,
trees and shrubs, topography (grading), furnishings (benches and statuary), and
water features. Vegetation is the primary feature of a landscape. Native species
and cultivated plants make up the vegetation, which is constantly changing with
the seasons and the passage of time. Residential landscapes in Eugene were
generally simple in design, having grown from property owners’ particular tastes
or horticultural interests. The temperate climate of the Willamette Valley is a
gardener’s paradise, so we can expect to find many exotic and unusual species
of ornamental plants.
We have broken down the landscape guidelines into historic periods, rather than
making them specific to the architectural styles. One key thing to remember is
that gardens were developed according to personal tastes that were influenced
by gardening trends of the times.
The Victorian Landscape (1860 -1900)
The architectural styles that fall under the Victorian era are the Gothic Revival,
Vernacular Gothic, Italianate, and Queen Anne. By the 1880s two features
were considered essential to a house: a fine lawn and large trees. The develop-
ment of the lawnmower in 1855 promoted the regularly cut green lawn. In this
lawn planting beds, paths, and even fountains were cut out and shaped. Trees
were strategically placed in the lawn to provide shade, frame the house, or
accent the architecture by providing a backdrop. Stately trees like the big leaf
maple, oaks, American elm and European beech were used during this period.
Shrubs were popularized during this period, both in mass plantings, and as single
accent specimens in the lawn. They were rapidly used to screen neighbors,
views, and service yards of neighboring properties. A specimen shrub could
also provide the focal point of a yard when it was underplanted with brightly
colored annuals. Often a shrub was planted under a window, near a porch, or
more importantly, to be viewed from a window or porch. Generally, founda-
Historic Landscapes
Maintenance and Rehabilitation of Historic Landscapes
37
Period Landscape Styles
62
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
tions were not covered with plantings during this period, but simple plantings of
annuals, like nasturtiums, might have surrounded the house.
Annual flower beds were a distinctly Victorian design, and reflected the era’s
love of ornament and ostentation. These beds often took geometric shapes like
the star, cruciform, and circles. Flower beds were conspicuous ornaments to
the front of the house, and planted with brilliant annuals and sometimes roses.
They might have also surrounded a fountain, planting urn, or statue. Favorite
plants of this era included the geranium, coleus, cockscomb, castor beans,
canna lilies, nasturtiums, lobelias, petunia, verbena, salvia, portulaca, ivy,
pampas grass, palms, dusty miller, alyssum, and the brilliant zinnias.
Whimseys of many shapes enlivened the Victorian garden, including fountains,
birdbaths, statues of children and animals, complex arbors, garden houses,
rockeries, grottos, and intricate topiary work were all welcome. Many of these
features depended on homeowners’ income and their ability to maintain them,
though, and are less likely to be found on modest residences.
Suburban houses of this era often had two entrances from the street. One as a
straight or elegantly curving walk to the front entrance, the other a straightfor-
ward drive to the service area of the house. Lots were often fenced in a way
that allowed maximum visibility of the house and grounds. Hedges were
common during this period also, and included privet, boxwood, and flowering
shrubs. Home owners often had vegetable gardens including berries, vines, fruit
and nut trees. These “domestic” gardens were usually located to the back of
the house, and often screened from the more formal front garden.
Early 20th Century Landscapes (1900 - 1935)
In a new movement that reacted against Victorian opulence, early 20th-century
homeowners embraced an architecture that was simpler, and that utilized natural
materials. The styles of this period were the Bungalow, American Foursquare,
Craftsman, Colonial Revival, California Mission, English Cottage, Tudor Re-
vival, and Norman Farmhouse. These post-Victorian houses stepped away
from the elaborate and bright designs, to a simpler home landscape based on
English and colonial traditions.
The Arts & Crafts Movement of this era promoted a return to nature, so patios,
sun porches, and wide front porches became popular as part of this indoor/
outdoor movement. The patio became a room for outdoor living. Patios were
constructed of flat local stones, slate, flagstone, or brick, and eventually con-
crete was used. Outdoor furniture made these spaces truly livable and so rustic
Historic Landscapes
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Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
furniture such as Adirondack chairs became fashionable. Container gardens
helped to soften the transition from inside to outside. Large pots were
favorites, and were set on patios, walls, and porches. They could be made
from carved stone, cast concrete, terra cotta, and glazed pottery. The cast-
iron urns of the Victorian era were out of vogue. In some instances the
home gardener constructed planters from twigs, bark, or cemented together
small stones.
The abundance of lawn plantings of the earlier era were abandoned for the
open center plan, still so common today. Foundation plantings were pro-
moted as a way to settle the house into its landscape. Such plantings could
include ornamental shrubs, small trees, perennials, and groundcover plants.
Picket fences gave way to neighborly clipped hedges, stone walls, and
lattice work covered with vines. Freestanding lattice panels were used as
trellises and screens around the garden. They were great for screening the
vegetable patch or home orchard. During this time the woven wire fences,
with vertical wooden posts, also remained popular, along with a few other
types of wood fences.
A guiding principal of the Arts & Crafts aesthetic was to combine utility
and beauty, so dwarf fruit trees began to replace ornamental shrubs, or
grapes replaced flowering vines. The vegetable garden persisted through-
out this period because it was believed to be every bit as beautiful as a
flower garden. Herbs were well appreciated, and they were often laid out
in symmetrical beds, even with brick paths, and edges of boxwood, laven-
der, or carnations. A hallmark of this era was the traditional perennial
border utilizing an elaborate mix of flowering perennials.
The gardens of this period were intended to be low maintenance. The open-
center plan made mowing easier, and dependable perennials and shrubs
were introduced, which helped to eliminate the watering and coddling of
roses and annuals. Low-maintenance groundcovers were planted with ivy,
myrtle, and ajuga. Mulches were not used in this period but a mulch of
hemlock bark is unobtrusive, and blends well with this style of garden.
Black plastic and stone mulches are a late-20th-century introduction.
The early 20th-century gardener had to make decisions on whether the
garden would be formal, informal, or naturalistic. Rectilinear and formal
landscape plans were common with the Colonial, English Cottage, Tudor
Revival, and Norman Farmhouse styles of architecture. Informal and
naturalistic landscape designs were typically used with the Bungalow,
Craftsman, and American Foursquare styles of architecture. All things
Historic Landscapes
39
We need
outdoor life in
this country ...
because it is the
normal thing for
all people,
and we need it
specifically
as a nation
because we are
an overwrought
people, too eager
about everything
except peace and
contentment.
Gustav Stickley,
1912
64
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
Japanese were influential in this period, which included the naturalistic Japanese
garden. Depending on your level of gardening interest both the formal and
informal can be incorporated into one design.
Outdoor garden rooms were popular, and often included elaborate rock
gardens, water features such as lily ponds, or color gardens in white, yellow, or
blue. With an emphasis on natural simplicity, the movement introduced a wild
garden that included local and exotic wildflowers. Bird baths and bird houses
were important features of the wild garden, as bird watching was a popular
pastime. What didn’t the early 20th century garden have? No decks, no
hanging plastic pots, no yellow rhododendrons, and no impatiens.
The Modern Garden (1935-1950)
The modern designers adhered to the theory that a house and lot were spaces
to live in rather than as something to look at. In the 1950s Thomas Church
proclaimed that “gardens are for people” and active people at that. As outdoor
living became habit in the west, the garden evolved into a series of outdoor
rooms. Terms like “living area” and “play area” became standard language on
garden plans. Back yard patios took on unusual shapes, and even extended
into the landscape to divide a view with a variety of plantings. Roof eaves were
extended to cover porches, and then punctuated with openings to provide for
shade and sun lit areas. The outdoor barbeque with a fireplace was also an
integral part of the new outdoor lifestyle.
Service areas, like clotheslines and trash bins, were separated by a tall wood
fence, or arbor. Depending on the owners’ tastes, a water feature might be
incorporated to compliment the geometric shapes of the planting beds or patio.
A large selection of privacy fences became available, just like paving types for
the patios. Affordable underground sprinklers made it possible to maintain vast
expanses of lawn.
Front yards were designed to set off the front of the house, with trees or tall
shrubs at the sides and back to create a frame and skyline, with smaller shrubs
sloping down from these to create foundation plantings at the front of the house
and along the sides of the yard. Dense evergreen plantings around the founda-
tions of a modern house were clipped and pruned.
The form of the garden was generally simple and direct. Simplification of
plantings was the character defining feature of the modern garden. Lines
established by plantings were strong and graceful. Gone was the period of
complex perennial borders, rose gardens, and annual displays. The modern
Historic Landscapes
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65
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
home might integrate a dozen reliable plants in mass plantings to define the
shape of the garden. Specimen trees or ornamental shrubs were strategi-
cally placed to focus or enhance a view. Fast-growing ground covers were
planted to fill the planting beds. Major changes were occurring in western
horticulture with the development of many hybrid species of plants. This
hybridization included development of dwarf and semi-dwarf fruit trees,
conifers, and ornamental shrubs.
Period gardening does not have to be a museum quality endeavor. It blends old
and new, finding creative solutions that meet modern needs while maintaining the
look and and spirit of an earlier age. Respect the garden you’ve inherited while
considering period landscape solutions, and you will likely end up with an
appropriate period garden.
A building site can contain a historic building, structures, and associated land-
scape features. The first step in the landscape evaluation process is to identify
these buildings, structures, and landscape elements on a site plan, and document
them with photographs. One of the key features worthy of identification in a
landscape analysis is the relationship of the main building to the on-site land-
scape, which includes garages and outbuildings. This analysis can help to inform
the evaluator of the pattern of everyday use that occurred over time on the
property, or will occur. Paths and driveways are often laid out for convenience
in circulation, rather than aesthetic reasons.
The site may have historic significance in its own right as a designed landscape
that complements the historic buildings. It is important to recognize the site for
the historic values and story that it may tell. The building site is located in a
particular setting, let’s say the street or the neighborhood of which it is a part.
Some of the relationships to look for are the setbacks, fence types, views,
driveways and walks, along with street trees that define the setting of each
historic property in a neighborhood.
Historic research is important for understanding what the landscape looked like
in an earlier period. Historic photographs are the best sources for historic
landscape identification. Articles in historic magazines can provide useful
information about what the landscape trends and styles were in a given period.
Oral histories with previous property owners are valuable for understanding
what a garden might have looked like. Archived issues of magazines like
Historic Landscapes
41
Landscape Evaluation
66
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
Sunset and Better Homes and Gardens are also excellent sources of informa-
tion on garden styles fashionable at the time of a house’s construction.
Site analysis is the process of physically looking over the historic property
to better understand the location and significance of landscape features. Site
analysis of the landscape provides an understanding of how the vegetation
has changed over time, or how paths and buildings evolved into what they
are today. In conjunction with historic photographs the site analysis can
explain where missing landscape features were located, or how they have
evolved with time.
As with historic buildings, you have to determine a method of treatment for your
landscape. The method of treatment chosen will determine the scope of work,
cost, and extent of repair or replacement that will be necessary. Preservation
of a landscape maintains the form, materials, and important features of the
landscape as it evolved over time. Rehabilitation retains the landscape as it
was in a historic period, while allowing additions and alterations for modern
usage. Restoration depicts an appearance that existed during the landscape’s
significant period of development. This can involve the removal of later addi-
tions, and the replanting or rebuilding of earlier landscape features.
Once you have conducted a site analysis and researched your property you are
ready to select a method of treatment. Typically you will want to protect and
stabilize significant features of an old landscape, usually the trees, an outbuilding
or fence, retaining walls, outdoor barbeque, or patio. Preservation and reha-
bilitation are probably the most desirable methods to use when thinking about
creating an appropriate landscape design for your historic property.
Gardens
Different periods of history had varying approaches to gardening. Early Oregon
pioneers were too busy building houses, tending farms, and raising food crops to
have time for planting elaborate flower gardens with carefully groomed lawns.
As Eugene became settled and the city was laid out on a grid, property owners
often grew a vegetable garden and planted a few fruit and nut trees. As time
passed perennial flowers and ornamental shrubs, like lilac and mock orange,
might have been planted around the house. Once nurseries became more
prominent the avid gardener purchased roses, evergreen shrubs or exotic trees.
Historic seed catalogues offered an assortment of annual seeds, like petunia,
violets, geraniums, sunflower or calendula. Lawns tended to consist of native
grasses and wild flowers.
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67
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
Historic Landscapes
43
Street Trees
Large street trees, like maples, oaks, and birches were popular historically
because they provided shade and helped keep street and alley dust down.
Streets in Eugene were generally laid out at sixty foot widths, with planting
strips and then sidewalks. The earliest sidewalks were constructed of
boards, but in the 1920s were converted to concrete, many of which exist
today. Nels Jorgenson was an early contractor who installed many of
Eugene’s sidewalks, as is evidenced by his name imprint on many corners.
There are some exceptions to this street layout, like Villard Street, which
was designed with a green median strip. Alleys were laid out as part of the
street grid system, dividing blocks into two distinct halves. Garages and
parking still exist on the alleys, which is a design feature of the community
that should be maintained and encouraged in old and new developments
because they keep the automobile functions to the rear of the house.
Fences
During the 19th century white picket fences of three to five feet in height were
common throughout the state, mainly to keep children in, and animals out, of the
garden. Fences were less popular in the early 20th century with the interest in
naturalistic landscaping that accompanied the bungalow and craftsman move-
ments. Because of this lack of fencing, yards from this era appeared to be large
and seemed to merge into each other using a variety of plant materials. The
colonial revival and various English-influenced styles that became popular
following World War I brought the picket fence back into popularity. These
gave way in the 1940s to low, three to four foot tall chain link fence, which
were affordable and took vines well, offering privacy.
If you want or need to fence part of your yard, keep in mind these periods and
their appropriate fence types. Some historic fence types are shown at left.
While low chain link fences are now historically significant for early modern
houses, and original ones should be retained where present, they are not
appropriate for earlier buildings or neighborhoods. Six foot tall privacy fences
are never appropriate for the front yards of historic properties, and need to be
evaluated for compatibility in back and side yards.
Colonial style fence with
flat pickets
Solid picket fence with
flat pickets
Solid board fence with
spindled rails on top
68
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
2. Retain existing trees that are in good health. Annual maintenance, such as
pruning dead limbs and applying fertilizer help to ensure long life for a tree.
Regular watering of trees and shrubs in the dry season is essential for
proper growth and health of the plant. Do not top cut shade trees. Selective
pruning is better for the health and longevity of the tree. Replant, as neces-
sary, large canopy shade trees along the streets. Deciduous and coniferous
street trees are both compatible in Eugene.
3. New plantings should enhance, not hide or cover up, historic architecture.
Tenacious vines, like Boston or English Ivy, can eat away at historic wood,
brick and stonework if allowed to climb walls.
4. Landscaping can hide parking lots and unsightly views and is encouraged
where applicable. Careful plantings of trees and shrubs can enhance views,
or screen and provide a noise buffer.
5. Landscape designs featuring large planting beds with black plastic and bark
mulch are not compatible to historic residential architecture. Low perennial
ground covers, hemlock bark, and compost are more desirable mulches.
6. Fencing should be lower than 48 inches in height, and of an open design.
Tall fences that conceal and surround architecture are to be avoided.
Consider using picket fences rather than tall chain link or vertical board
fences.
7. Off-street parking is best achieved at the side or rear of a historic structure.
Large historic shade trees should not be removed to accommodate parking
lots.
8. Alleys should continue to be attractive as public open space between
properties. Future improvements, like paving or construction of secondary
buildings, along the alleys should be sensitive to historic garages, outbuild-
ings, fencing, paving and landscape plantings.
Historic Landscapes
44
Guidelines for Historic Landscapes
1. Public improvements to streets and sidewalks should be designed to
enhance the visual continuity of the existing streetscapes. Alterations like the
installation of sidewalks and curbs; cutting and planting of street trees; and
installation of street lights, should be compatible with existing materials, yet
provide safe access for pedestrians, bicyclists and automobiles.
69
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
Glossary
and
References
Lane County Historical Museum, # GN2016
American Foursquare style farm house on River Road, c. 1915
70
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
71
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
Arch. A construction technique and structural member, usually curved and
made of masonry. Composed of individual wedge-shaped members
that span an opening and support the weight above by resolving verti-
cal pressure into horizontal or diagonal thrust.
Architrave. The lowest part of an entablature, or the molded frame above a
door or window opening.
Balcony. A platform projecting from the wall or window of a building,
usually enclosed by a railing
Baluster. Any of the small posts that support the upper rail of a railing, as
in a staircase.
Balustrade. An entire railing system including a top rail and its balusters, and
sometimes a bottom rail.
Bay window. A projecting bay with windows that forms an extension to the
interior floor space. On the outside, the bay should extend to ground level,
in contrast to an oriel window, which projects from the wall plane above
ground level.
Board-and-batten siding. Vertical siding made up of alternating wide
and thin boards where the thin boards cover the joints between the
wide boards.
Bracket. A small projection, usually carved or decorated, that supports or
appears to support a projecting eave or lintel.
Capital. The topmost member, usually decorated, of a column or pilaster.
Casement window. A window that is hinged on the side and opens in or out.
Chimney pot. A decorative masonry element placed at the top of a chimney,
common on Queen Anne and Tudor Revival buildings.
Clapboards. Narrow, horizontal, overlapping wooden boards that form the
outer skin of the walls of many wood-frame houses. In older houses, the
exposure (the exposed area of each board not overlapped by another
board) ranges from four to six inches.
Column. A vertical shaft or pillar usually circular in section that supports, or
appears to support, a capital, load beam or architrave.
Corbel. A projection from a masonry wall, sometimes supporting a load
and sometimes for decorative effect.
Corbeled cap. The termination of a brick chimney that projects outward
in one or more courses.
Corner board. A board which is used as trim on the external corner of a
wood-frame structure and against which the ends of the siding are fitted.
Cornice. The exterior trim of a structure at the meeting of the roof and wall;
usually consists of bed molding, soffit, fascia, and crown molding.
Glossary & References
45
Glossary of Architectural Terms
72
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
Course. In masonry, a layer of bricks or stones running horizontally in a wall.
Cresting. Decorative grillework or trim applied to the ridge crest of a roof.
Common on Queen Anne style buildings
Cross gable. A gable that is perpendicular to the main axis or ridge of a roof.
Cupola. A small, sometimes domed structure surmounting a roof. Found
mainly on Italianate and Colonial Revival buildings.
Dentil molding. A molding composed of small rectangular blocks run in a row.
Dormer. A structure containing a vertical window (or windows) that projects
through a pitched roof.
Double-hung sash window. A window with two or more sashes; it can be
opened by sliding the bottom portion up or the top portion down, and is
usually weighted within the frame to make lifting easier
Eave. The part of the roof that overhangs the wall of a building.
Entablature. Above columns and pilasters, a three-part horizontal section of a
classical order, consisting of the cornice at the top, the frieze in the middle,
and the architrave on the bottom.
Facade. The face or front of a building
Fanlight. A window, often semicircular, over a door, with radiating muntins
suggesting a fan.
Fascia board. A flat board horizontally located at the top of an exterior wall,
directly under the eaves.
French door. Two doors, composed of small panes of glass set withing rectan-
gularly arrayed muntins, mounted within the two individual frames. Usually
such doors open onto an outside terrace or porch.
Frieze. The middle division of an entablature, below the cornice.
Gable. The vertical triangular portion of the end of a building having a double-
sloping roof, usually with the base of the triangle sitting at the level of the
eaves, and the apex at the ridge of the roof. The term sometimes refers to
the entire end wall.
Gable roof.
A roof form having an inverted “V”-shaped roof at one or both ends.
Gambrel roof. A roof having two pitches on each side, typical of Dutch
Colonial and Colonial Revival architecture.
Gingerbread. Highly decorative woodwork with cut out ornament, made with
a jigsaw or scroll saw, prominent in Gothic Revival architecture
Half-timbering. In late medieval architecture, a type of construction in which
the heavy timber framework is exposed, and the spaces between the
timbers are filled with wattle-and daub, plaster, or brickwork. The effect of
half timbering was imitated in Oregon in the 19
th and 20th centuries by the
Queen-Anne and Tudor Revival styles.
Hipped roof. A roof which slopes upward on all four sides.
Hood molding. A decorative molding over a window or door frame, commonly
found on Italianate style buildings such as the Smeede Hotel in Eugene.
Glossary & References
46
73
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
Jerkinhead roof. A gable roof truncated or clipped at the apex - also called a
clipped gable roof. Common in Bungalows and Tudor Revival, and Arts
and Crafts style buildings.
Latticework. A wood or metal screen composed of interlaces or crossed thin strips.
Leaded glass. Small panes of glass, either clear or colored, that are held in
place by strips of lead.
Lintel. A horizontal beam over an opening in a wall that carries the weight of
the structure above.
Mansard roof. A roof with two slopes, the lower slope being nearly
vertical, often concave or convex in profile. Common to the Italianate
and Queen Anne styles.
Molding. A decorative band or strip with a constant profile or section
generally used in cornices and as a trim around window and door
openings. It provides a contoured transition from one surface to an-
other or produces a rectangular or curved profile to a flat surface.
Mullion. The vertical member of a window or door that divides and
supports panes or panels in a series.
Muntin. One of the members, vertical or horizontal, that divides and
supports the panes of glass in a window.
Oriel window. A window bay that projects from the building beginning above
the ground level.
Palladian window. A window divided into three parts: a large arched central
window, flanked by two smaller rectangular windows. These are found in
Colonial Revival as well as Italianate buildings.
Parapet. A wall that extends above the roof line. Common in California Mis-
sion style buildings.
Pediment. A low triangular gable end, often found in classical architecture.
Pent roof. A small, sloping roof, the upper end of which butts against a wall of
a house, usually above the first-floor windows.
Pilaster. An engaged pier or pillar, often with capital and base.
Pillar. A post or column-like support
Pitch. The degree of slope or inclination of a roof.
Pointed arch. Any arch with a point at its apex, common but not re-
stricted to Gothic architecture. Tudor Revival buildings also frequently
incorporate pointed arch motifs.
Portico. A porch or covered walkway consisting of a roof supported by
columns.
Quoins. Cornerstones of a building, rising the entire height of the wall, and
distinguished from the main construction material by size, texture, or
conspicuous joining. In masonry construction, they reinforce the corners;
in wood construction, they do not bear any load, are made of wood, and
imitate the effect of stone or brick.
Glossary & References
47
74
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
Rafters. The sloping wooden roof-frame members that extend from the ridge
to the eaves and establish the pitch of the roof. In Craftsman and Bungalow
style buildings the ends of these, called “rafter tails” are often left exposed
rather than boxed in by a soffit.
Ribbon window. A continuous horizontal row, or band, of windows sepa-
rated only by mullions. Used to some extent in Craftsman designs, but
more common in Eugene on post-war modern buildings.
Round arch. A semicircular arch, often called a Roman arch
Rustication. Masonry characterized by smooth or roughly textured block
faces and strongly emphasized recessed joints.
Sash. Window framework that may be fixed or moveable. If moveable, it
may slide, as in a double-hung window; or it may pivot, as in a case-
ment window.
Shiplap siding. Wooden siding tapered along its upper edge where it is over-
lapped by the next higher courses of siding.
Side light. A framed window on either side of a door or window.
Siding. The narrow horizontal or vertical wooden boards that form the outer
face of the walls in a traditional wood-frame building. Horizontal wooden
siding types include shiplap and clapboard/weatherboard, while board-and-
batten is the primary type of vertical siding. Shingles, whether of wood or
composite material, are another siding type.
Sill. The lowest horizontal member in a frame or opening of a window or door.
Also, the lowest horizontal member in a framed wall or partition.
Skirting. Siding or latticework applied below the watertable molding on a
building.
Soffit. The underside of the eaves on a building, particularly the boards
enclosing the eaves and covering rafter tails.
Stucco. A material, usually composed of cement, sand, and lime, applied to
a surface to form a hard, uniform covering that may be either smooth or
textured. Also, a fine plaster used in decoration and ornamentation of
interior walls.
Surround. The molded trim around a door or window.
Swan’s neck pediment. A pediment with an open apex; each side termi-
nates in curves resembling a swan’s neck. Found in Oregon mainly on
Colonial Revival buildings.
Terra cotta. A red-brown fired but unglazed clay used for roof tiles and
decorative wall covering. These roof tiles are common in the California
Mission style. Glazed terra cotta was frequently used for exterior
decoration on commercial buildings of the early 20
th Century. In Eugene
the McDonald Theater provides an example of ornate glazed terra cotta.
Transom. Horizontal window opening above a door or window.
Glossary & References
48
75
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
Tongue and groove. A type of board milled to create a recessed groove along
one long side and a corresponding flange along the other that lock together
when two or more boards are placed side-by-side. Tongue and groove
boards were commonly used for flooring and siding.
Tudor arch. A four centered pointed arch, characteristic of Tudor style
architecture in England in the 15
th and 16th centuries.
Turret. A small, slender tower, usually corbeled from a corner of a building
Veranda. A covered porch or balcony, running alongside a house; the roof
is often supported by columns.
Vergeboard. An ornamental board, sometimes jigsaw cut, that serves as trim and is
attached to the overhanging eaves of a gable roof; sometimes called a bargeboard.
Water table. A projecting ledge, molding, or string course along the bottom
side of a building, designed to throw off rainwater; it usually divides the
foundation of a building from the first floor.
Weatherboard siding. Siding, usually wooden, consisting of overlapping,
narrow boards usually thicker at one edge; also called clapboard siding.
Glossary & References
49
gable roof
roof ridge
vergeboard
gable
eave
clapboard siding
transom
side light
two-over-two
double hung
shed roof
porch column
baluster
balustrade
corner board
muntin
mullion
Adapted from Oregon Style: Architecture from 1840 to the 1950s by Rosalind Clark
76
Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
Austin, Richard L. et. al., eds. The Yearbook of Landscape Architecture.
New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., 1983.
Carter, Elizabeth and Michelle Dennis. Eugene Area Historic Context
Statement. Eugene, Oregon: Eugene Planning and Development
Department, 1996.
Clark, Rosalind. Oregon Style: Architecture from 1840 to the 1950s.
Portland, Oregon: Professional Book Center, Inc., 1983.
Dole, Philip. The Picket Fence in Oregon: An American Vernacular
Comes West. Published by the Historic Preservation Department,
School of Architecture and Allied Arts, University of Oregon, Eugene,
Oregon, 1986.
Downing, Andrew Jackson.
A Treatise on the Theory and Practice of
Landscape Gardening. New York: Funk & Wagnalls, 1859.
Getzels, Judith and Charles Thurow. Rural Small Town Planning. Chi-
cago: American Planning Association, 1980.
Gilbert, Frank B. Readings in Historic Preservation. Why? What? How?
New Brunswick, New Jersey: Center for Urban Policy Research, 1983.
Gottfried, Herbert and Jan Jennings. American Vernacular Interior Design.
New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, 1988.
Gowans, Alan. The Comfortable House: North American Suburban Archi-
tecture 1890-1930. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Massachusetts
Institute of Technology Press, 1986.
Leighton, Ann. American Gardens of the Nineteenth Century: “For Comfort
and Affluence.” Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, 1987.
Litchfield, Michael. Renovation: A Complete Guide. New York: Wiley, 1982.
London, Mark. Masonry: How to Care for Old and Historic Brick and Stone.
Washington, D.C.: Preservation Press, 1988.
Glossary & References
50
Bibliographical References
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Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
Glossary & References
Moss, Roger W. and Gail Caskey Winkler. Victorian Exterior Decoration: How
to Paint Your Nineteenth-Century American House Historically. New York:
Henry Holt,1987.
Oregon Historic Preservation League. Rehab Oregon Right. (1995).
National Trust for Historic Preservation. Past Meets Future, Saving America’s
Historic Environments. The Preservation Press, 1993
Poole, Patricia and Clem Labine. The Old House Journal New Compendium.
Garden City, New York.: Dolphin Books, 1983.
Popplier John and S. Allen Chamber, and Nancy B. Schwartz. What Style Is It?
Washington D.C.: The Preservation Press, 1977.
Sales, John. “The Philosophy and Practice of Garden Preservation.” APT
Bulletin 17, (1985): 61-64.
Scott, Frank J. Victorian Gardens. New York: Library of Victorian Culture,
American Life Foundation, 1982.
Stephan, George. New Life for Old Houses. Washington, D.C.: The Preserva-
tion Press, 1989.
Stephan, George. Remodeling Old Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1973.
Stickley, Gustav. Craftsman Homes. New York: Dover Reprints, 1979. Origi-
nally published in 1909 by the Craftsman Publishing Company.
Sunset Magazine. Western Garden Book. Sunset Publishing Corporation, 1991.
U.S. Department of the Interior. Illustrated Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic
Buildings. Washington D.C.: Cultural Resources Preservation Assistance
Division, 1992.
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Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
The following periodicals are excellent resources for help in understanding,
evaluating, and rehabilitating historic properties:
Fine Homebuilding
The Taunton Press
Newtown, CT 06470
http://taunton.com/fh/
Historic Preservation Magazine,
National Trust for Historic Preservation
1785 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20036
http:/www.nthp.org/
Material Culture
Pioneer America Society
c/o Department of Earth Sciences
Southeast Missouri State University
Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
The Old House Journal
P.O. Box 420-235
Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235
http://www.oldhousejournal.com/
Preservation Briefs
National Park Service
Heritage Preservation Services
P.O. Box 37127
Washington, DC 20013-7127
http://www2.cr.nps.gov/tps/briefs/presbhom.htm
The Eugene Planning Division is establishing a collection of resource
for historic preservation at the Eugene Public Library. Check there or
with the Eugene Planning Division for relevant reference material.
The University of Oregon Knight Library’s Oregon Collection and
the Lane County Historical Society both have collections of historic
photographs, Sanborn Insurance Maps and other historic materials
that may prove valuable to researchers.
Glossary & References
52
Periodical References for Historic Rehabilitation
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Advisory Design Guidelines for Historic Residential Properties
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Don’t let this happen to you...
Photo by Eliza McFadden
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Source: City of Monona website. First collected Oct 16, 2026.