Vernacular Architecture Forum
2005
Tucson, AZ
April 13-16, 2005
In the vast Sonoran Desert of Southern Arizona is a rich architectural heritage
spanning over 5000 years and three cultures, Native American, Spanish
Colonial/Mexican, and American. Only in the last 150 years of this region’s history
has there been a political boundary that distinguishes the cultural and architectural
traditions between what is now Mexico and the United States. This history has
created a cross-cultural vernacular landscape unique to this region representing a
spectrum of architectural vocabulary ranging from Spanish Colonial and
American typological and stylistic purity to hybrid expressions of every imaginable
combination.
This conference will present the variety of vernacular typologies associated with
the broad spectrum of cultural themes:
Spanish Colonization of the Pimería Alta (Sonora and Arizona)
Territorial Architecture in Tucson
Ranching in Southern Arizona
20th Century Residential Landscapes
Mining Towns of Southern Arizona
Traditional Typologies - New Applications
Native American Architecture of Southern Arizona
Documentation of Structure Assignment
For FINA-A190 Exploring the City
-Select a building in area
-Research for any available information
-Write compilation of research, citing sources
-Hand in paper and digital form:
-report
-Photographs of building (at least one)
-2 Elevations (Hand-drawn or computer-generated)
-1 Floor plan (from actual or estimated measurements)
-Prepare PowerPoint for 6 minutes in-class presentation
Digital documents will be used to compile a web site of local
structures, which will grow each time the class gets taught again,
and act as a model and challenge for subsequent classes.
Tippecanoe Place
620 West Washington
Avenue
Diego Perez
Why I Chose Tippecanoe
• I was fascinated by everything I saw the
time I ate there although I couldn’t imagine
that a family would need that big of a
house to live in
• Abundant information available on this
building
• Its enormous size
• Its Romanesque architecture
• A building most students are familiar with
Letting you in on some history…
• Studabakers started in
Philadelphia as German
immigrants with the different
last name of Studebecker
• John Clement Studebaker
born 1790
• His wife plus their 10 children
moved into a log cabin south of
the city of South Bend due to
the economic panic of 1837
• John Clement Studebaker,
who was a wagon maker, was
the one who built the
Tippecanoe place
• Clement and his brother,
Henry, started a wagon making
business that came to be the
great H&C Studebaker
Company. The needed use
during the Civil War
contributed to the company’s
success
• With the great wealth the
Studebakers attained,
Clement Studebaker decided
to have himself a big house
built
…history continued.
There are two theories regarding the name
of this mansion.
1). The name “Tippecanoe” was chosen
because it was the favorite camping site of
Miami Indian chief, Tippecanoe.
2). John Clement Studebaker’s friendship
with President Harrison, whose
grandfather won the battle of Tippecanoe
in 1811.
The Mansion!
• 395 ft. x 296 ft. in addition
to the 274 ft. x 90 ft. that
was occupied by the
carriage and greenhouse
• 40 rooms
• 20 fireplaces
• Elevator
• Estimated total cost of
$300,000 including the
furnishings
• 1889 accepted as
completion date
Tippecanoe’s Architecture
• Henry Cobb (18591931), chosen by
Mr. Studebaker,
was the architect.
• Romanesque
• Romanesque
arches w/
mediaeval
entranceways,
round towers,
verandas, and large
gables
• Walls and windows
formed by concrete,
rough stones
• Sturdy chimneys
The Man With the Plans
First Level Plan
Second Level Plan
Third Level Plan
Fourth Level Plan
Tippecanoe Through the Years
•
•
•
•
•
•
A fire in 1889 destroyed much of the top
floor and left the house to be restored to
its past beauty at the lowest cost of
$75,000
Mr. Studebaker started the plans for the
rebuilding process
After the unfortunate event, Mr.
Studebaker provided hospitality to 150
members of the Pan-American
Congress for lunch.
After Studebaker bankruptcy and the
depression days, the president of the
Associates Investment Company, Mr. E.
M. Morris, purchased the building for
$20,000 and presented it to the city for
use as a handicapped children school
Red Cross used the building as its
headquarters during WWII
After the war, it was used as the E.M.
Morris School for Crippled Children
Tippecanoe Today
Today, it’s a restaurant
serving outrageously
priced meals!
Pictures
Research
I knew that there would have to be abundant
information. With this in mind, I found my
two most helpful sources.
Romine, Joan. Tippecanoe Place. Southhold
Restorations Inc. South Bend, IN. July
1972
The Tippecanoe websitehttp://www.tippe.com
Documentation of a Historical
Structure
Melissa Young
December 6, 2005
320 Division St.
Elkhart, IN
• Built 1920
• Typical Vernacular
Gabled-ell structure
• Historical since
1982
Front Elevation
• Wood siding
• Some original
windows
Side Elevation/Kitchen Add on
Getting to know 320
•
•
•
•
3 Bedroom, 1 ½ bath, 1 ½ stories
1224 total finished square feet
9 feet high interior ceilings on 1st floor
Outside Yard = 33 feet wide and 132 feet
deep
• Owner is Virginia Rushing now, when built
owners name was Worth S. VanHarlingen
Located on a brick road
Rules of being a historic structure
• Must keep original pieces whenever
possible
• Some paint colors need to be approved
• Central air units must be on rear side of
the property
• House is an expression of its era and
needs to be preserved at all costs!
Please meet some of
my neighbors!
Funeral Parlor
Battered Women’s Shelter
Skills Learned
-Local history research
-Protection of historic structures
-Architectural styles and features
-Access to tax and building records
-Image manipulation
-PowerPoint presentations
-Public Speaking
-Civic responsibility for architectural and
urban heritage
-Power of vote and activism to affect own
living environment