Hiram Charles Todd House
Encyclopedia
The Hiram Charles Todd House, also known as the Marvin-Sackett-Todd House, is located on Franklin Square in Saratoga Springs
, New York, United States. It is a Greek Revival
house built in the 1830s by a local hotelier. Later it was home to Hiram Charles Todd, a descendant of one of the original owners who was active in New York state politics.
It remains intact today with almost no alterations. In 1972 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
, the very first listing in Saratoga Springs. Later that year it became a contributing property
to the Franklin Square Historic District. Two decades later that district became part of the new West Side Historic District
. It is currently used as office space for several local businesses.
styles. An iron fence runs along the north and east edges of the property; there is a parking lot in the rear.
It is two stories high, with a square three-by-three-bay
central block and seven-bay T-shaped rear wing. The siding
is clapboard
over wood frame
with diagonal brick braces. A wide entablature
goes down to the middle of the second story windows; fretwork
flanks the three on the east (front) facade
. The main entrance is flanked by projecting bay windows. The mostly flat roof is pierced by six chimneys.
On that elevation, a full-height pediment
ed portico
with four Doric
fluted
columns shelters the main entrance. It is one of five porches on the building. Two on the north side, facing Division Street, have colonnades echoing that on the front. On the west (rear), the only portion of the building with a gable
d roof, there is a small upstairs porch and larger enclosed one downstairs.
Inside, the central hall has a double staircase that converges into a curved single one. The drawing room
runs the length of the south side of the house on the first story. It is divided with a semi-elliptical arch. On the west end of the living room two French doors lead into the music room.
During the house's construction, in 1833, Marvin heard of the proposed rail link that would connect the village with existing tracks at Ballston Spa
. He sold a piece of land to the railroad so that the trains could run past the house and the hotel. The house thus became a landmark of Saratoga Springs to visitors.
It remained with the Marvins and their descendants for a century. Two of them were active in politics. William A. Sackett
, Marvin's son-in-law served as a congressman
around 1850, and later spent his last years in the house. Hiram Charles Todd, a lawyer and friend of the Sackett family who had served as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York
, inherited the house in 1927. It has since been reused as private office space.
Saratoga Springs, New York
Saratoga Springs, also known as simply Saratoga, is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 26,586 at the 2010 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area. While the word "Saratoga" is known to be a corruption of a Native American name, ...
, New York, United States. It is a Greek Revival
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...
house built in the 1830s by a local hotelier. Later it was home to Hiram Charles Todd, a descendant of one of the original owners who was active in New York state politics.
It remains intact today with almost no alterations. In 1972 it 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...
, the very first listing in Saratoga Springs. Later that year it became a contributing property
Contributing property
In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing resource or contributing property is any building, structure, or object which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic district, listed locally or federally, significant...
to the Franklin Square Historic District. Two decades later that district became part of the new West Side Historic District
West Side Historic District (Saratoga Springs, New York)
The West Side Historic District is a residential area of Saratoga Springs, New York, United States, located west of its downtown section. It is a area extending from the blocks west of Broadway to extensions along Church and Washington streets...
. It is currently used as office space for several local businesses.
Building
The house is located on the corner of Franklin Street just south of the square. The neighborhood is residential, with large trees lining the streets. The other houses are similar in size to the Todd House, either in Greek Revival as well or other VictorianVictorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
styles. An iron fence runs along the north and east edges of the property; there is a parking lot in the rear.
It is two stories high, with a square three-by-three-bay
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
central block and seven-bay T-shaped rear wing. The siding
Siding
Siding is the outer covering or cladding of a house meant to shed water and protect from the effects of weather. On a building that uses siding, it may act as a key element in the aesthetic beauty of the structure and directly influence its property value....
is clapboard
Clapboard (architecture)
Clapboard, also known as bevel siding or lap siding or weather-board , is a board used typically for exterior horizontal siding that has one edge thicker than the other and where the board above laps over the one below...
over wood frame
Framing (construction)
Framing, in construction known as light-frame construction, is a building technique based around structural members, usually called studs, which provide a stable frame to which interior and exterior wall coverings are attached, and covered by a roof comprising horizontal ceiling joists and sloping...
with diagonal brick braces. A wide entablature
Entablature
An entablature refers to the superstructure of moldings and bands which lie horizontally above columns, resting on their capitals. Entablatures are major elements of classical architecture, and are commonly divided into the architrave , the frieze ,...
goes down to the middle of the second story windows; fretwork
Fretwork
Fretwork is an interlaced decorative design that is either carved in low relief on a solid background, or cut out with a fretsaw, coping saw, jigsaw or scroll saw. Most fretwork patterns are geometric in design. The materials most commonly used are wood and metal. Fretwork is used to adorn...
flanks the three on the east (front) facade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
. The main entrance is flanked by projecting bay windows. The mostly flat roof is pierced by six chimneys.
On that elevation, a full-height pediment
Pediment
A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
ed portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
with four Doric
Doric order
The Doric order was one of the three orders or organizational systems of ancient Greek or classical architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian.-History:...
fluted
Fluting (architecture)
Fluting in architecture refers to the shallow grooves running vertically along a surface.It typically refers to the grooves running on a column shaft or a pilaster, but need not necessarily be restricted to those two applications...
columns shelters the main entrance. It is one of five porches on the building. Two on the north side, facing Division Street, have colonnades echoing that on the front. On the west (rear), the only portion of the building with a gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
d roof, there is a small upstairs porch and larger enclosed one downstairs.
Inside, the central hall has a double staircase that converges into a curved single one. The drawing room
Drawing room
A drawing room is a room in a house where visitors may be entertained. The name is derived from the sixteenth-century terms "withdrawing room" and "withdrawing chamber", which remained in use through the seventeenth century, and made its first written appearance in 1642...
runs the length of the south side of the house on the first story. It is divided with a semi-elliptical arch. On the west end of the living room two French doors lead into the music room.
History
The house was built by Thomas Marvin, a nephew of the founder of the United States Hotel, one of Saratoga Springs' early resorts. The exact date is unknown, but it was likely built in 1837, around the time of his marriage. Marvin at the time was co-owner of the hotel along with his brother, and the house faced the rear of the hotel across the square, originally called Marvin Square after the family. The front bay windows were added shortly after it was built.During the house's construction, in 1833, Marvin heard of the proposed rail link that would connect the village with existing tracks at Ballston Spa
Ballston Spa, New York
Ballston Spa is a village in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 5,556 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Saratoga County. The village is named after Rev. Eliphalet Ball, a Congregationalist clergyman and an early settler. The village lies on the border of two...
. He sold a piece of land to the railroad so that the trains could run past the house and the hotel. The house thus became a landmark of Saratoga Springs to visitors.
It remained with the Marvins and their descendants for a century. Two of them were active in politics. William A. Sackett
William A. Sackett
William Augustus Sackett was a U.S. Representative from New York.-Biography:Born in Aurelius, near Auburn, New York, Sackett attended private schools and Aurora Academy.He moved to Seneca Falls, New York, in 1831....
, Marvin's son-in-law served as a congressman
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
around 1850, and later spent his last years in the house. Hiram Charles Todd, a lawyer and friend of the Sackett family who had served as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York
United States District Court for the Northern District of New York
The United States District Court for the Northern District of New York serves one of the 94 judicial districts in the United States and one of four in the state of New York. The U.S. Attorney for the district is Richard S. Hartunian...
, inherited the house in 1927. It has since been reused as private office space.