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Local Historic Landmarks |
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The Henry-Bryan
House
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Built in circa 1912, the Henry-Bryan House is locally significant for its association with two of the city's pioneer families who played an important role in a local construction company. Walter Henry and Hardy Bryan were responsible for working together on four locally designated buildings. The house is also significant to the city as a well-preserved example of a Queen Anne Cottage style single family house. One distinguishing characteristic of the building is the relatively late construction date of 1912 for this style of building. The house was constructed by Walter Henry most likely as a wedding present to Love and Eulalie Henry. Henry became one of the first building contractors in the city and was listed as contractor for the 1912 First Congregational Church and the 1915 Carnegie Library. He was also the contractor for the 1912 St. Petersburg High School and the 1913 American Bank and Trust Building, both now demolished. The house's second owners were Ruth and Hardy Bryan. Bryan was a building contractor specializing in masonry and terra cotta tile construction. His most important construction projects include the terra cotta work on the Open Air Post Office and the Snell Arcade Building. The oldest and most important Queen Anne style building surviving in St. Petersburg is the William's House, home of the founder of St. Petersburg. Other examples include the recently designated Bayboro House (1719 Beach Drive S.E.), the Veillard House (262 Fourth Avenue N.) and Bay Gables (136 Fourth Avenue N.E.). The architectural integrity of the Henry-Bryan House compares well with these buildings. The structure is a one and one-half story balloon frame building resting on a brick pier foundation with lattice skirting, and is capped by a steeply pitched hip roof. The front facade faces north and is set back 15 feet from the property line. It is generally square in plan with a rear kitchen wing on its southeast comer. A projecting, shed-roofed front porch, about ten-feet deep, extends across the entire north front facade. The porch consists of three bays defined by square wooden pillars that rest on a wood wall about 30 inches high, partially enclosing the perimeter of the porch. It was modified circa 1940 by placing wood double hung sash 1/1 windows between the pillars, and a wood and glass door flanked by wooden sidelights in the central bay. Several of the details of the house characterize the Queen Anne style, including the use of ornamental shingles on the gables, the wood ornament of the soffits and the west facade's bay window. The boxed cornice line, which is supported by protruding 2 ft. x 4 ft. ceiling joists imitating brackets, is also characteristic of the Queen Anne style. Other notable features of the exterior are the small capitals of the comer boards, resembling pilasters, and the decorative shingles in the gable over the bay window. |
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