Masked Intruders. Bearing Gifts.
In the early 1970s, Phyllis and Louis lived in the Cross House, first in the Octagon Bedroom, and then later the entire third floor. Their landlord was Frank and Esther Toms. I did a post about their third-floor apartment.
This south-facing room was their kitchen. See the narrow window, right? Louis made a stained-glass window for it. When Phyllis and Louis left the Cross House almost fifty-years ago, they took the window with them. But today?
The window has returned!
Rather than using traditional lead caming, Louis glued the bits of glass together.
See the “grapes”?
Louis did this as homage to the grapes (center) in the dining room window.
Phyllis and Louis explained that much of the glass window came from a nearby church which had been demolished. “And nothing was salvaged first!” Using their hands, they combed through the rubble and extracted bits of stained glass, including all the round pieces used in their window. Louis explained that the church had been immediately north of the extant Carnegie Library, but Sanborn Insurance maps show no church on that block. However, on the SE corner of the block just north, was this. Is this where they got the glass? The congregation left this building in the late 1950s, when their new church opened (extant).
There were two churches just north of the Carnegie Block. The First Christian Church (in pink) was closest to the Cross House.
And…sigh…the same corner today. Sigh.
Phyllis and Louis than gifted the house with a family piece of Fenton glass. Zounds! “We just had it stuck away. We think it will be appreciated here.”
I know nothing about vintage glass but…wow. I placed it on the round table in the parlor. It picks up the colors of the stained-glass.
We went outside so Louis could take drone images of the house. Squee! You can see the drone, center, in front of the big green curved cornice. Right after I snapped this image, the drone shot over to the left, crashed into the big tree, and fell to the ground. Louis does not know what happened, but the drone was damaged. It appears repairable. So, cool drone shots will have to wait till another day!
How utterly fabulous to have the “hippie window” (as I call it) come back to the house, and a gorgeous Fenton bowl to also be gifted.
Because of social distancing I could not hug Phyllis and Louis. So, I invite y’all to join me in sending the two a huge virtual hug!
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Virtual hugs to this special couple. What a lovely gesture to bring the glass back. It is so well done and looks great in-situ. As ever, each time I see photos of buildings which have been replaced by some banal piece of car park; apartment complex; petrol(gas) station etc, it makes me wonder what we were thinking in earlier years? Looking at the church I am surprised it was demolished as usually these buildings manage to scrape through and survive. In my home city of Glasgow,(Scotland) we have one re-purposed as a restaurant and bar; another as a climbing wall of all things, whilst many are now apartments or condo buildings so it shows there is a way of retaining the fabric of our towns and cities without resorting to the wrecking ball.
Looking forward to the eventual drone pictures.
Colin
Colin! Hello!
I’m still waiting for Glasgow to resurrect one of its finest buildings, now a ruin.
I did a post about it, as you recall.
The First Christian Church was at 7th & Exchange. It was in operation from 1907 – 1956. My grandmother attended church there prior to her death in 1957.
Oops! I should have said 7th & Market. I grew up walking from 407 Cottonwood to William Allen White elementary school. We walked on Exchange Street as that is where the crossing guard (Robert Plumber, my grandparents’ next door neighbor) was stationed.
Hi, Sharon!
The church was on 7th and North Market.
There was a church at 7th and Exchange, but it was demolished in the early 20th-century.
What a beautiful photograph of the Cross house’s exterior, Ross.
Virtual hugs to Phyllis and Louis for such generous gifts and stories of the Cross House.
Wow. Nice!
I could SOOO educate you Ross, on numerous interior decorative details. Been thrifting and shopping at antique stores since 91!!! .
How cool to add that little piece of the Cross House’s story back to the site. 🙂
That is so lovely. Squee indeed. I’m all verklempt. Both at the kind gesture of returning the Hippie Window and at the loss of the church that made its creation possible,
What a gracious, beautiful gift!
What Brad said! What a lovely gift. Many people have been kind to the Cross House over the years. You are in good company, Ross.
I’m busy being traumatized by the fact that they didn’t salvage those church windows. Why? Why? Why? What is wrong with people!!?? Now I’m going to bed to cry with a cool cloth on my head. It won’t help, but it’s all I can think of to do.
That Fenton bowl is SO GORGEOUS! I’ve never seen one with such beautiful painting on the glass. Virtual hugs to Phyllis and Louis for bringing the bowl and stained glass.
Ross, you should look into antique glassware, there are so many different, lovely pieces. I guarantee you will start a collection. We need to see a picture of the bowl on the round table in the parlor.
Big hug and kisses too for Phyllis and Louis for the lovely gifts for Ross and the Cross House. Both gifts are beautiful. Seems the Cross House has always attracted just the very best of special people.
What gracious and lovely people Phyllis and Louis are! Those are not only material gifts, but gifts of the heart! Cherish them always.
If Emporia had salvage laws similar to Austin, Tx probably wouldn’t have happened this way. Very little ends in landfill, most gets recycled, reused, resold. All communities should do this. Unfortunately developers have too great a say in what and how property gets developed. To the detriment of historic restoration. Ross I absolutely love your house, your restoration of it, your blog. Can’t say enough. You are a great writer being very readable. Better than most books. I look forward to when you can move in and restore interior. I wish that I was a neighbor of yours.