Knittle House

From the exterior, the Knittle House is distinguished by the elegantly-proportioned octagonal turret attached to the southwest corner of the building. This vertical element is capped with what is called a “bell” roof—so-called, because of its resemblance to the instrument. The apex of such a roof nearly demands a finishing touch, which in this case consists in a sizeable weather vane (that may not, however, be original to the house). Each of the two floors of the turret are equipped with double-hung windows, one at each surface of the five exterior facets, that drench the interior with light. The cornice of the main roof is continuous around the perimeter of the turret, and constitutes a visual tie between the vertical and horizontal lines that characterize the building. The wood shingles on the upper story of the house and turret were originally finished with a natural stain, and have since been repainted a uniform color, as have the textured stucco surfaces at the lower floor. The roof lines of the house are low, emphasizing the horizontal, and hence reminiscent of the “Foursquare” style (which is also exemplified on the present tour in the Williams House); and the full-length, low-ceilinged porch reinforces the stylistic association. The house was originally built for Frank Knittle, a civil engineer and surveyor who, with his wife Mary and seven children, resided in it until about 1920.