RANDOLPH’S TIMELESS
ARCHITECTURE
by
Kazimir Cunningham
Randolph VT, Main Street
Randolph’s History
Randolph was founded by a man named Experience Davis.
He explored the area in 1775 after hearing about it from the
Regis Indians, who referred to it as "level land" and "the joining
of two rivers". By the end of the year he staked out 1500 acres
to claim as his own. The location was originally Chartered by
New York, as “Middlesex”,2 and after the VT state government
was organized in 1777, Aaron Storrs and 70 others requested to
the Vermont Legislature for a charter to call the remaining part
of Middlesex "Randolph" after Edmund Randolph, governor of
Virginia, and it was granted.3 In just 13 short years, the
population of the town of Randolph according to the 1,790
census was 892 people and 10 years later it grew to 2,549
people.1
P
eople came to Randolph attracted to its rich and loamy soil, the
potential water power source of the river, and the vast forests. By 1800,
Randolph became one of the most populated and prosperous towns of
the state and many hoped that it would become the capitol of Vermont
due also to its central location. In fact, it is traditionally said that the
Main Street was made wide in preparation for this possibility
(Interestingly enough, Randolph actually did become the state capitol
for one day on July 15th 1957 during a civil defense test!1). Randolph
continued to grow as an Agricultural town that produced a fair amount
of crops, even in less than favorable conditions. The main produce
included sweet corn and potatoes. Whole milk was a popular item
produced by local farms and creameries as well as chicken eggs and
maple syrup. The town thrived on its agricultural industry and in some
years even led the state in production per acre.2
Randolph’s Train Service
•Randolph’s first train passed through
in 1848 bringing business and
liveliness to this area of town1
•There still remains a functioning train
station today
T
o counter these successes,
Randolph also suffered setbacks
time and time again. The winter of
1917-1918 was recorded to be 50
degrees below 0 the coldest
winter in 50 years! Due to a coal
shortage people started to use
firewood. Floods ripped through
the towns repeating to destroying
all the dams and Mills along the
river's edge, including some
buildings and houses. Many fires
erupted and destroyed farms,
businesses, churches, and the
business district of main street as
well (1884). Much of the original
architectural elements were lost.
Residents also developed sickness
including a polio epidemic in 1914
and influenza in 1918.1
(As I was taking this picture, I was
curious as to whether the dark marks
above the windows were remnant from
the fires)
D
espite these incidents however, the Randolph residents pressed on
and rebuilt in the burn sites, giving it much of the look it has today. The
Kimball library was donated by col. R.J. Kimball in 1900 and the
Chandler music hall in 1907 by Chandler. The New Technical Institute
opened with 70 students in 1957, and later became Vermont Technical
College in 1962. In 1960 The Randolph Historical Society was started by
the president, Harry H. Cooley; it is to his writings and research that
much of this information is available.1
More than 4,853 people reside in Randolph today3; it remains a
unique meeting place and an interesting historical environment!
Maps of Building Locations
Randolph 2010 (maps.google.com)
Dudley Chase’s “Governor’s mansion”
E Bethel Rd, Randolph Center, VT.
Architect &Builder: Asa Egerton
This photo was taken in 1910
(compliments of the Historical Society of Randolph)
Brief History:
Dudley Chase, one of 15 children of Deacon Dudley Chase of
Cornish, NH,5 came to Randolph around 1800, and acted as
Randolph’s first Lawyer. In 1804 he had this house built by a
carpenter named Asa Egerton, founder of a “School for Carpenters
and Joiners” in town.1 Dudley offered it as a governor’s Mansion, in
the event that Randolph was selected to be Vermont’s state
capitol.4 Dudley Chase acted as a member of the State House of
Representatives and Democratic Republican in the U.S. Senate
(1813 – 1817). Among other achievements, he served as Chief of
Justice of VT State Supreme Court (1817 – 1821), Anti Jacksonian to
U.S. Senate (1825 – 1831) and he “engaged in agricultural pursuits”.
He died in 1846 and is buried in the old Randolph cemetery.6 A later
owner, J.K. Parish and his family lived in this home for 90 years.4 It
became the Parker Walling residence among others. It now belongs
to a couple from New Jersey, and is undergoing minor renovations.
Salmon P Chase
•It is an interesting note that Dudley’s
nephew, Salmon P. Chase spent time in
the Dudley residence. He later served
as treasurer of the United States and
“was responsible for having ‘in God we
trust’ placed on our currency”.4
•(No known photos exist of Dudley
chase but according to Harriet Chase,
Curator of Randolph’s Historical society
museum, he most likely looked similar
to his nephew)
•Below: pegs that we found at the
Randolph historical museum taken out
of the post and beam barn that used to
be on site (170 years old)
Neoclassicism/
Renaissance Revival
•The front of this house facing the street,
has some stately architectural elements
•Many features bear striking resemblance
to Thomas Jefferson’s Virginia State
Capitol (below) especially the detailed
cornice
(panoramio.com)
Use of Classical elements:
•Building Symmetry
•vertical pilasters mimic Corinthian
columns
•pronounced detail of the roofline and
the triangular pediment at the center,
repeated at the entrance.
•Decorated Frieze below door
pediment
•Roman arch with keystone at center
window
•(storm door added later. Also notice
that the shutters were removed)
Interior Views:
(unfortunately the owners have not been home so I could not go inside of the house
however I did find some images of what it looked like inside back then)
Changes made and durability
•There is a porch addition in the
back of the house
Note: the triangular roof space is
made to resemble the front
•All detail including the columns are
made of wood, there is evidence of
rot at the hip of the roof where there
is a lot of water traffic
In Conclusion…
This Building is the “bow tie” of Randolph. It is well taken
care of and speaks security, stability, prosperity, and class. It is
has a cozy safe feeling about it like a little one would feel
under the arm of a father. At the same time it is not so radical
that it does not fit into its surroundings. It has traditional
horizontal wood siding and chimney (and had shutters) which
warms it up to and sits it nicely in the residential
neighborhood.
Methodist Church
East Bethel Rd, Randolph Center, VT
Photo courtesy of Harriet Chase, Randolph Historical Society
Brief History:
I
n 1836 the Church of Equal Rights was built on this site to serve the
Methodists, Universalists, and the Christians. The town contributed
funding the project in the exchange that it could hold the annual March
town meetings in the basement area of the church.1 The owners sold the
building at an auction to the highest bidder, who turned out to be the
Methodists, however the church went up in flames in 1880. The following
year a new Methodist Church was resurrected on the same site, and for a
while it flourished, but soon people stopped attending, and regular
services ended in 1930.4 In 1954 it was dedicated as a Masonic temple and
the bell in the tower was sold to a Lutheran church in Rhode Island in
1957.1 Unused for years, the building was purchased from the Troy
conference in 1966 by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Stocker, who intended on
converting it to a summer home4 but made no drastic renovations. It now
belongs to a man who introduced himself as Peter Paul, from Connecticut,
who is renovating it at great length into a unique dwelling.
Evolution of the Church Site
•Church of Equal Rights
1836-1880
•New Methodist Church
circa 1880
•Recent
(Note how the rounded Roman arches of the Church of Equal rights
compare to the Gothic pointed arches of the Methodist replacement)
Gothic Revival
•Center tower at entrance
•Lancet windows
•Use of the pointed arch at
door and above
•Roof detail:
-Decoration at edge and
with shingles on tower
-Original Slate shingles
Durability
•The building has held up well structurally with
only some surface rot in places. The current
owner is in the process of stripping the exterior
for new paint
•Here we can see that the paint is coming off but no real
evidence of serious rot. The stained glass has also been
replaced where it is not colored
Interior
•Right looking aft: The interior includes
centrally located large open space with a
lightly coffered ceiling recently repainted
•Below right looking forward: The old wall
was stripped and is being refaced with
rough lumber for a rustic look. The open
doors to the right are from India. They
lead to a bathroom with large windows
flooding in the natural light
•Bottom looking aft: Loft, below it is a
small isolated room
In Conclusion…
The building stands out from its surroundings: it is rather
ominous and brooding, however it wears the weight of its
history on the outside promoting a feeling of interest, like it
has some tale to tell through motionless expression. It was
well built and cared for, it is structurally intact, and will make a
most unique dwelling place.
Randolph National Bank
North Main Street, Randolph, VT
T
Brief History:
his Bank was founded In 1876 as the first
Randolph bank by William Dubois, a VT State
Treasurer for 8 years.1 His Name “Dubois” is
ornamented in Granite within the brick above
the entranceway to the bank. It is a small
building, with a “false front” at the front and
back which largely increases the appearance
in the size of the building, and hides its roof’s
simplicity with the complexity of the curvature
seen from the front of the building. It is now
owned by Carol Bushey, and operates as the
Frankenburg Insurance Agency. It still houses
its original safe, being that owners have had
no success in moving it. It also has original
counter tops, making the interior layout seem
much like it would have been over a hundred
years ago.
(Right: a copy of a section of an advertisement
page in the inside cover of a magazine called
“Picturesque Randolph” dated 1899 published
by L.P. Thayer)
Exterior :
•Top: The bank has not undergone
many significant changes and remains
very similar to the way it was in the
1870’s and early 1900’s.
•Bellow right: The old 2nd Empire
building to the left of the bank had
burned and evidence can be seen in
the contrast of the new brick verses
the old brick of the bank (note the ice
guard added at the roof’s edge on the
side)
•Bellow: (notice the metal pole used to
help support the height of the false
front)
The Safe:
•Right: the original Safe in its original
location
•Below: The basement was actually
built to support the safe as can be
seen in the jutting portion of this
photo, a solid foundation for the gross
load above
Interior:
•Original trim and woodwork at the
counter, doors and windows7
•Bellow: Old Calendar prints were put
in as a wallpaper in the 1950’s7
In Conclusion…
This building fits in well with the other prominent brick
buildings flanking Main Street. It is small, sturdy, and
compact; built to withstand the test of time. It advertises a
feeling of elegance, professionalism, and durability. It was
built to best use its space to serve its function, which is
proved successful by the unchanged layout existing today.
Dubois and King
28 North Main St, Randolph, VT
Architect: Truex Cullins & Partners Architects, Burlington VT
Brief history:
T
his location was originally the site of West Randolph High School, an
Italianate building built in 1872. With the expansion of the area, the school
soon became too small. Burlington Architect Charles H. Crandall designed
plans for a much larger building. Construction began in 1911, and it became
a well functioning High and Elementary school, however with the opening
of new schools in the area the building eventually became vacant. The
Randolph Area Community Development Corporation (RACDC) sought to
find a purpose for the building. Dubois and king, a consulting engineering
firm, expressed interest in moving their offices there. The original plan was
to renovate the old building for use but after a close evaluation of the
structure this notion became impractical and RACDC and Dubois and King
partnered to take down the building and construct another in its place that
better suited the demands of the office environment. The building was then
demolished in 2003, but some of the original features of the old building
were kept and are now displayed in the new building, including the dated
cornerstone and the terra cotta panels from the front of the school. The
new building was completed in 2004 and incorporates an energy efficient
design. 8
Site Evolution
•Old Randolph High (sketch)
•New building (photo taken
2010)
Building Context
•The antenna- looking feature
photographed is a modern
element that was incorporated
to give the building a sense of
height to match the surrounding
steeples on neighboring
buildings 10
(feature close-up)
Energy Efficient Design
Exterior:
•There are sensors that work with the
heating/cooling system that sense the
outdoor temperature and use this air
appropriately in maintaining the
desired temperature conditions
indoors 9
•Use of a combination of insulation
board and spray insulation in the
exterior walls cut the heat loss in half
compared to an average commercial
building 9
•Windows and their locations were
built to maximize daylight in the
building 9
•Fiberglass triple pane windows
reduce energy consumption and
operating cost 9
Energy efficient design
Interior:
•Reflective light louver fixtures reflect
daylight into the interior space 9
•Fiberglass triple pane windows:
Reduces energy consumption and
operating cost 9
•Thin shades let in light and energy
while reducing the sun’s glare, and still
preserving an outside view 9
•The Lighting system throughout the
building is designed to sense the
amount of natural light in the room
and adjust its brightness accordingly,
conserving energy 9
•There are only 8 light switches in the
24,000 square foot building, it uses
motion sensors set to a timer 10
Natural light sources
•Right: Example skylight illuminates
the receptionist’s desk directly below
and floods the lobby area with light
•Note the “Randolph high and Graded
School” sign hung here in the lobby
(right) and the corner stone set into
the wall (below); memoirs of history
In Conclusion…
T
his building is functional and economical. By its very design it
prioritizes the environment and energy efficiency. The building evokes an
emotion of daring free spirit, curiosity, anticipation, and respect; respect
for it’s history in the proudly displayed treasures, and respect for its
context in the town with its unique architectural considerations.
CITATIONS:
1 Harry
H. Cooley, Randolph, Vermont Historical Sketches, ed. Miriam Herwig (The Randolph Town History Committee, 1978), (129-171)
2 “Historical Background,”
3 Wikipedia, Randolph,
4Wes
http://www.answers.com/topic/randolph-vermont (2010)
Herwig, Early Photographs of Randolph, Vermont (1855–1948), (41 & 45)
5 Harriet
Chase, Curator and Historian for Randolph’s Historical Society, interviewed for this project, Randolph, Vermont December 2010.
6Biographical Directory of
7Agency
8Liz
Randolph and its activities, published by the Randolph chamber of commerce, Randolph, VT, 5
United States Congress, http://www.bioguide.congress.gov (2010)
worker, interview held at the Frankenburg Insurance Building, Randolph, Vermont, November 2010.
Pritchard (Liz Pritchard Associates, Montpelier, VT), (Historical research by The Rest Shadow & Light Studios, Burlington, VT)
9Mark
Miller, Director of Business Development and Marketing, “Sustainable Design Feature,” Displayed documents in the Dubois & King
Building, Randolph VT
10Richard
•
•
Goodall, Vice president at Dubois and King, interviewed for this project, Dubois & King building, Randolph, Vermont. November
2010
Other Citations:
Older Train Station photo: http://www.cardcow.com/viewall/67880/
Newer Train Station photo: en.wikipedia.org
Picture of Sketch of Randolph High School: displayed in the Dubois and king Building lobby
Old picture of Randolph National Bank: Courtesy of Randolph Historical Society
Note: All other pictures were taken by the author, Kazimir Cunningham, unless otherwise noted