Cashier's House
Encyclopedia
The Cashier's House is a three-story, plastered brick, Greek Revival
building located on State Street in Erie
, Pennsylvania
. It was documented by the Historic American Buildings Survey
in 1934. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
on January 13, 1972 and its boundary was increased on March 9, 1983.
of the next door Erie Branch of the Bank of the United States
. The bank closed in 1841, but the cashier of the bank continued to live in the house until his death in 1843. In 1850, the house was sold for $4,000 ($ in present-day terms) at half of its original cost. The Cashier's House was bought by Samuel Woodruff in 1872. The Woodruffs occupied the Cashier's House until 1913, leading the house to sometimes be referred to as the "Woodruff Residence" or "Woodruff House."
The state of Pennsylvania bought the Cashier's House on July 17, 1963 for $30,800 ($ today). The state restored the Cashier's House, and the next-door Old Customshouse, in the late 1960s and early 1970s. On March 9, 1983, the boundary of the site was increased to include the Coach House.
. The depth of the house was expanded to nearly triple the original size by the blacksmith to house heavy machinery.
in Pennsylvania.
Greek Revival architecture
The Greek Revival was an architectural movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in Northern Europe and the United States. A product of Hellenism, it may be looked upon as the last phase in the development of Neoclassical architecture...
building located on State Street in Erie
Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. It was documented by the Historic American Buildings Survey
Historic American Buildings Survey
The Historic American Buildings Survey , Historic American Engineering Record , and Historic American Landscapes Survey are programs of the National Park Service established for the purpose of documenting historic places. Records consists of measured drawings, archival photographs, and written...
in 1934. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on January 13, 1972 and its boundary was increased on March 9, 1983.
History
The Cashier's House was designed by Philadelphia-architect William Kelly and was built as part of a three-structure complex, in 1839. The Coach House and Old Customshouse were also part of the complex. It was built primarily as the residence for the chief executive officerChief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of the next door Erie Branch of the Bank of the United States
Second Bank of the United States
The Second Bank of the United States was chartered in 1816, five years after the First Bank of the United States lost its own charter. The Second Bank of the United States was initially headquartered in Carpenters' Hall, Philadelphia, the same as the First Bank, and had branches throughout the...
. The bank closed in 1841, but the cashier of the bank continued to live in the house until his death in 1843. In 1850, the house was sold for $4,000 ($ in present-day terms) at half of its original cost. The Cashier's House was bought by Samuel Woodruff in 1872. The Woodruffs occupied the Cashier's House until 1913, leading the house to sometimes be referred to as the "Woodruff Residence" or "Woodruff House."
The state of Pennsylvania bought the Cashier's House on July 17, 1963 for $30,800 ($ today). The state restored the Cashier's House, and the next-door Old Customshouse, in the late 1960s and early 1970s. On March 9, 1983, the boundary of the site was increased to include the Coach House.
Coach House
The Coach House, located on East 4th Street, was built at the same time of the Old Customshouse and the Cashier's House. The house was sold to a marble dealer in 1882 and was sold, again, in 1904 to a blacksmithBlacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
. The depth of the house was expanded to nearly triple the original size by the blacksmith to house heavy machinery.
Design
The Cashier's House is 30 in 2 in (9.19 m) wide and 125 in 5 in (38.23 m) deep. Both the exteriors of the Cashier's and Coach Houses are Greek Revival. The interior of the Cashier's House is a rare example of Egyptian Revival architectureEgyptian Revival architecture
Egyptian Revival is an architectural style that uses the motifs and imagery of ancient Egypt. It is attributed generally to the public awareness of ancient Egyptian monuments generated by Napoleon's conquest of Egypt and Admiral Nelson's defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of the Nile during 1798....
in Pennsylvania.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Erie County, PennsylvaniaNational Register of Historic Places listings in Erie County, PennsylvaniaThis is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Erie County, Pennsylvania.This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States...
External links
- Cashier's House (Erie County Historical Society)