Favorite Houses: 810 Market
Because the Cross House was designed by architect Charles W. Squires, I have become a, well, Squires groupie. I am ever-alert to new Squires sightings, and have a fantasy that an app will be invented for my smart phone which will allow me to time-travel so I can meet up with Charley and have a nice long chat. I would also not depart back to 2015 until Charley assured that his archives were in safe hands. When Squires died in 1934, nobody would have cared about his professional archive. Today, I would kill for it.
Squires was incredibly prolific, and he, without question, designed more structures in Emporia than any other architect. Indeed, Emporia can call itself the Squires Capital of the United States. Yet, less than a dozen structures have been confirmed as by Squires as the architect’s archives have been lost. This is most vexing!
So, when I drive around Emporia, I look for buildings which display signature Squires design elements.
Recently, 810 Market came on the market. I did not give it a glance because the exterior displays no signature Squires elements. However, as it is in my neighborhood, I was curious to go inside via Zillow.
The first clue which captured my special attention was:
As soon as I saw this stained-glass window I thought: This look like a Charles Squires window. The Cross House has forty stained-glass windows, and each designed by Squires. Like all artists, Squires has a certain identifiable “look”, and careful study can identify his work.
However, perhaps the window was salvaged from a demolished Squires structure? Still, I was now On Alert.
Then there was this image:
This, too, looks like Squires. Indeed, see the carved star design? That EXACT detail abounds throughout the Cross House.
Whoee! Now I was pretty sure. 810 Market was surely by Squires.
Then came this doozy:
This is the top of a door opening. The detail is called a dentil, and Squires used this detail repeatedly, and normally in a highly eccentric dentil manner, as shown here.
The trim was the jackpot! There was now no question: 810 was by Charles. W. Squires.
This image is from the real-estate listing. Sadly, they did not show the full mantle. However, the tile is by the American Encaustic Tiling Company, as is all the tiling in the Cross House.
See the dentil trim? And Squires loved diamond-shaped panes. The Cross House has diamond windows.
810 Market Street.
810 is next door to 814, which I also believe to be a Squires design.
As of 3/28/15, 810 Market is for sale. If you are interested, please contact Lacie Hamlin.
2 Comments
Leave a Comment
Your email address will NEVER be made public or shared, and you may use a screen name if you wish.
When we first moved to Emporia in 1959, for three months we lived at 813 Market, directly across the street from this house. We have many interior shots of 813 because my mother was an amateur photographer and that was before she went back to work teaching. It was in sad shape then, and may be worse now, but I’ve always wished someone would restore it.
Pictures???? Pictures???? I wanna see!!!!