Courthouse resolution #3: Materials

Third in my series of "10 things I can find to like about the new Rockbridge County Courthouse" at Nelson and Randolph streets: The final design incorporates characteristic Rockbridge area granite (dark grey prominently veined with white), red brick (an ubiquitous building material in these parts) and the white Tuscan columns so often seen on local Roman Revival buildings (albeit ersatz, alas -- you can see the vertical seams quite clearly in person).

This view is from Nelson St., looking toward what used to be Davidson Park.

Red door

A perfect little 1928 cottage at the "new" end of Jackson Avenue.

Solid footing

Another in my series of shots under Lexington's bridges.

This is the main Nelson St. bridge, which runs adjacent to the new courthouse. The construction of the courthouse has given a whole new feel to this spot -- you may now arrive here from a set of steps beside the courthouse door. Directly underneath the bridge the ground has been paved, but in both directions it is a road to nowhere. (This bridge spans a wide swale, not a stream or river.) A strange place, but not without attractions.

Post office frieze

The frieze over the entrance to the post office on Lee St.

The U.S. government erected this building at the corner of Nelson and Lee streets between 1911 and 1913. The land had formerly been the grand front lawn of the house of Samuel McDowell Reid, built 1824. (The Reid-White house is still there, its original front door now facing the unlovely back of the post office.)

There are three symbols repeated across the width of the frieze: The caduceus of Hermes (two serpents intertwined about a staff with wings), Hermes having been the first symbol of the U.S. Post Office; a torch with a laurel wreath (presumably symbolizing victory); and a third motif, of crossed swords and perhaps a shield or crest, the meaning of which I cannot identify. (If you know what it is, please leave a comment.)

A neighbor of mine likes to say that this building was intended as a symbol of the strength of the federal government in the post-war South. The words "Erected by the United States Government," with the year, figure prominently above the architrave.

Serpentine walk

A wooden gate echoes the pattern of the brick walk beyond.

Although this house on Jackson Avenue is classically symmetrical, the front walk does not beat a path straight to the door (as is usual), but curves around from the side. This confounds the symmetry, but makes the front porch seem much more private - even mysterious - behind a hedge and two boxwood domes.

Church on Sunday: Grace

Ivy clothes part of a window at Grace Presbyterian Church.

The congregation of this church has worshipped in this building on South Main Street since the early 1950s. Before that, it was (probably originally) a private residence, an apartment building, and a fraternity house. Now Grace Presbyterian is planning to build a new church outside of the city limits, and this old building is for sale.

One wonders what the future has in store for it.

For symmetry's sake

The front steps at Morris House lead to a window, instead of the door -- which is to the left.

This house, visible at the right of Cyrus McCormick in my post of two days ago, was built in the early 1840's as one of a set of four faculty residences. It is now used as a seminar and reception center, as well as guest accommodations at Washington and Lee. The designer of these varied houses made rather free with classical proportions in the porticoes, for starters, (as can be said of many such buildings in Lexington, including Washington Hall and Stono,) and you can view such deviations as charming un-academic improvisations, or provincial ignorance, (or both,) as you prefer.

(Posting rather late today, due to computer trouble.)

Westward the course of empire...

The statue of Cyrus McCormick at Washington and Lee faces southeast, actually.

McCormick invented the first mechanical reaper in 1831 - when he wasn't much over 20 - and patented it in 1834. He was born in 1809 not far from Lexington, in northern Rockbridge County. (The family farm is worth a visit.) His father is reported to have worked for many years on a horse-drawn reaper, without success, and then passed his work down to his son.

McCormick left this area in 1839 for Chicago (where he founded a forerunner of International Harvester), but maintained ties here, including to Washington and Lee, to which he was a generous benefactor.

The W&L timeline states that when this statue of McCormick was unveiled in 1931, thousands of spectators turned out for the occasion.

(In the background you see the Lee-Jackson House - left - and Morris House - right - on the W&L campus. At far left is a portion of General Robert E. Lee's house, built for him when he arrived in Lexington after the Civil War. Stay tuned tomorrow for a photo.)

Stono

The double portico of Stono, in the morning light.

Stono faces east, overlooking the Maury River at Jordan's Point from high above. It was built in 1818 by and for Colonel John Jordan (1777 - 1854), one Lexington's most productive and best-known builders and businessmen.

In addition to Stono, Jordan (with his business partner from 1815 - 1824, Samuel Darst) is responsible for building part or all of numerous Lexington structures, including Washington Hall at W&L, Beaumont (home of Samuel Darst) and The Pines on Lee Avenue, the Dold Building, the former Rockbridge-Botetourt Library at 312 S. Main St., the Ann Smith School at Nelson and Lee, and the foundation stonework for the original VMI Barracks. (He is also thought to have executed brickwork at Jefferson's Monticello -- an 1805 letter exists in which he requests payment from the sitting president.) Jordan and Darst are credited with having been central in bringing the classical revival, and particularly Jeffersonian classicism, to Lexington.

According to The Architecture of Historic Lexington by Lyle and Simpson (from which most of the details in this post have been gleaned), Jordan also built roads and canals - including work on the canal from Richmond that eventually terminated just below his house at Jordan's Point - and the first covered bridge over the Maury at East Lexington.

Though presently owned by the VMI Foundation, and used as overnight accommodations for visiting "VIPs," almost 200 years ago Stono was surrounded by Jordan's "cotton, woolen, flour, grist, and lumber mills." That part is hard to imagine now:

A very civilized infirmary

The portico of the "new" VMI hospital.

This building, originally the house of Samuel F. Jordan (a local builder, son of prominent Lexington builder John Jordan), was purchased by VMI in 1870, and enlarged in 1909. At some point it replaced the old hospital, a relatively small building that has since been torn down.[*] (It had been completed just in time for an 1849 mumps epidemic in the corps, according to The Architecture of Historic Lexington.)

Yesterday's house is visible at the right.

Tomorrow I'll post a photo of the entrance to the recently renovated and expanded Stonewall Jackson Carilion Hospital, which serves the general area. I'll then let you decide where you would rather convalesce.

*[Update: The old hospital has certainly not been torn down as I had been told -- I just spotted it in one of my photos! Will post a picture of it at a later date.]

Football on the lawn

Tossing a football on the lawn between Doremus Gymnasium and Elrod Commons on the campus of Washington and Lee.

I took this picture a little while ago, but it's appropriate for the sort of weather we've had the last few days, as well. Last week: snow; this week: temperatures near 70° F (21° C).

Greek inheritance

The Greek Revival pediment of Newcomb Hall against a fathomless blue sky.

The serenity, solidity and classic simplicity of this image seem fitting for the day after the nation's historic forty-fourth peaceful transfer of executive power.

Church on Sunday: Full moon

Manly Memorial Baptist Church at dusk; corner of Main and Preston streets.

"Manly" does not refer to the character of the congregation (though I wouldn't like to rule it out), but to the church's early 20th C. namesake. Formerly Lexington Baptist, it became"Manly Memorial" in honor of Dr. Charles Manly, pastor from 1903-1914. (The church's website states that in his day he was known as the "most universally beloved man in Lexington.")

The present church was built in 1920, in a rather eclectic style. In addition to the dome, Ionic capitals (above smooth, unfluted columns), and heavy, dentiled cornices, there is an impressive amount of contemporary stained glass in soft, opalescent colors -- greens, blue-greens, warm browns, lavenders and pinks -- that make a strange and interesting contrast to the brick and the many classical references.

Here is an example:

It's a very American ("Rules? -- what rules?") structure that, not surprisingly, also appears to take inspiration from Thomas Jefferson's Monticello (located about 56 miles [91 km] NE of Lexington, as the crow flies).

Pastiche

One hundred years of architectural fashion at Washington and Lee.

From right to left (oldest to newest):
1904 - Reid Hall, School of Journalism (originally physics and engineering)
1961 - The Science Center (roof only)
1979 - James G. Leyburn Library
2003 - Elrod Commons (the student center)

Set a spell

An inviting front porch on Jefferson St.

The south end of Jefferson St. has some of the most wonderful old houses in Lexington (including my favorite -- to be posted at a later date), yet it's just a few blocks from the library, shops and restaurants of town.

10 Things I like about the New Courthouse, #1

The new courthouse nears completion at the corner of Nelson and Randolph streets.

This photo introduces my New Year's resolution, of sorts -- to find ten things I can like about the new courthouse. (It's going to be tough.) Number one: The quality of light on the Nelson street facade in the late afternoon can be breathtaking.

See the old courthouse, soon to be put out to pasture, here.

Church on Sunday: Column

Column and capital of the porch of the Trinity United Methodist Church on Main St.

I'd like to take more pictures of this church and its interesting details, but, alas, I'm going to have to get out a lot earlier in the morning to catch the sun on its façade!

Church on Sunday: Phoenix

The steeple of Lexington Presbyterian Church reaches for the heavens.

A Lexington landmark at Main and Nelson streets, the original 1844 Greek Revival church was designed by Thomas U. Walter, who later went on to design the dome of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. "Stonewall" Jackson worshipped here, and is remembered for the Sunday school classes he taught for both slave and free blacks in the town.

On July 18, 2000, a fire caused by maintenance operations engulfed the steeple, eventually causing its collapse - taking an 850 lb. bell with it - into the sanctuary below. (See a photo of the fire here.) The church has been painstakingly restored; in 2002, local school children were given a holiday to witness the dramatic replacement of the clock and steeple.

** Rob at Trieste Daily Photo has given me an award! (Actually, two blogging awards which seem to be making the rounds together.) Thank you very much, Rob. I will have to wait until tomorrow to respond, but in the meantime I want to send everyone your way to see your beautiful and evocative photos of Trieste and its environs, like this one.

Columns in a row

Probably the single most recognizable image of Lexington: the Washington and Lee Colonnade.

I couldn't go on with this blog much longer without showing the Colonnade, but I was reluctant to try it because it's something of a photographic cliché around here. I was lucky enough to back into these tree shadows -- one of the great advantages of taking winter pictures. I think they add something a little different.

Expected a black and white version (below) to play up the shadows even more, but I don't think it does. They seem more fantastic in green and black. What do you think?

Above Woods Creek trail

Another bridge over Woods Creek, this time on Nelson St./Rt. 60 heading west out of town.

The bridge is nothing much to speak of up top, but underneath - where it's constantly damp from the creek and the storm runoff - the concrete has acquired a beautiful patina.