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Phelps New York Photographic Gallery ~
Cobblestone Architecture
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Many people have heard of, or are familiar with the cobblestone streets from centuries past; however, few
have ever had the opportunity to see a cobblestone building. Cobblestone architecture abounds throughout
Western New York, and Phelps boasts many fine and picturesque examples. In fact, of the 1000+ cobblestone
structures erected from Western NY into Wisconsin and Canada, 90% of them are within 75 miles of Rochester, NY
(a mere 30 minute drive from Phelps). This was due in large part to the detritus left over from the
glaciers, clearing of land for farming, the development of lime-based mortars, and the building of the
Erie Canal from 1817 - 1825.
A cobblestone, by definition is a rock that fits neatly into your hand. These rocks are actually a veneer
to a "rubble wall", which is a series of interior courses (rows) of rough, unhewn rocks used to bear the
load of the structure, using large squared off rocks for the cornerstones, called "quoins".
The rubble walls were then covered with the cobblestones set in the limestone mortar. Lime mortars are softer
and are able to expand and contract with the changing seasons. Hence, the structures tend to be more durable,
often standing for well over a century.
There are three generally recognized styles of cobblestone structure, although they all tended to be based
on a Greek Revival style.
The first cobblestone buildings to appear were simply set horizontal rows of irregularly
shaped stones. Most of these were built from 1825 - 1835. The next style was more decorative in nature.
From 1835 - 1845, stonemasons often used uniquely shaped rocks to decorate the walls, for instance, they
employed flatter rocks to make herringbone and diamond shapes patterns. The last style was primarily
constructed from 1845 - 1860, and is recognized for it's more compact and uniform cobblestone size,
using smaller mortar joints.
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The Phelps Baptist Church on Church Street and the Harmon House, a farmhouse and smokehouse on Smith Road are two cobblestone buildings within Phelps that are on the National Register of Historic Places.
Phelps
Baptist Church, which is courtesy of Brian Donnelly. |
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Unless otherwise noted, all photographs are courtesy of Richard Stevenson, © 2004-2007, All rights reserved. |
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