Form 10-300 ( Ju l y 1969)

U N I T E D STATES D E P A R T M E N T OF T H E INTERIOR N A T I O N A L PARK SERVICE

NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM

(Type all entries - complete applicable sections)

' S T A T E :

West Vi rg in ia C O U N T Y .

I Tvler I

I

11. NAME C O M M O N

Durham-Peters Residence A N D / O R H I S T O R I C .

E . A . Durham Home 12, L O C A T V ~ N

S T R E E T A N C N U M B E R :

110 Chelsea S t r e e t C I T Y O R T O W N :

-

F O R NPS USE O N L Y

I S i s t e r s v i l l e ( 1 s t . Congressional D i s t r i c t ) I

E N T R Y N U M B E R D A T E

I CATEGORY ( C h e c k One)

I

S T A T E

West Virgin ia

OWNERSHIP I STATUS 1 Tt%y::k:\ C 1 kT~Gl?/;il% -

CODE

34 C O U N T Y

Tyler

Publ lc Acqu ls l t lon :

I n Process

Both Be ing Considered

C O D E

095

- Occupied

U n o c c u p ~ e d

0 P r e s e r v a t ~ o n work i n p r o g r e s s

Yes:

Restricted

U n r e s t r ~ c t e d

O NO

Government 0 Park Transpor ta t ion Comments

I n d u s t r ~ a l P r i va te Residence 0 Other (Speci fy ) -- M ~ l i t o r ~ R e l ~ g l o u s

0 Museum S c ~ e n t l f ~ c

14. OWNER O F P R O P E R T Y

V) *

c P. rt

09 P. s. P,

0 0 C

O W N E R ' S N A M E

M r . and Mrs. Harry Pe te r s S T R E E T A N D N U M B E R

110 Chelsea S t r e e t C I T Y O R T O W N

S i s t e r s v i l l e - -- --,

S T A T E . .

C O D E

West Vi rg in ia 54

S T R E E T A N D N U M B E R

Main S t r e e t m

1s. LOCAT~ON OF ;!GAL-DESCRIPTION- - - - '

C O U R T H O U S E R E G I S T R Y O F D E E D S E T C

Tyler County Courthouse

S T A T E ( C O D E . r i

Midd lebourne West Vi rg in ia I

- I I

Development Study t o r S i s t e r s v i l l e , West Vi rg in ia

D A T E O F S U R V E Y : January 1971 Federa l 0 State County L o c a l D E P O S I T O R Y F O R S U R V E Y R E C O R D S :

S i s t e r s v i l l e Planning Commission w

S T R E E T A N D N U M B E R

o z r <

S i s t e r s v i l l e C i t y Building I C I T Y O R T O W N :

S i s t e r s v i l l e West Virgin ia 5 4 0 D i m

DESCRIPTION (Check Ona)

E x c e l l e n t Good Fair Deter iora ted 0 Ruins (3 U n e x p o s e d C O N D I T I O N - 1-- - -----

This twenty room re s idence was b u i l t i n 1921 f o r M r . and Mrs. E .A. Dur-

(Check One)

1 A l t e r e d a Unal te red --

ham, o i l execut ive , by Edward B . Franzheim, a r c h i t e c t of Wheeling, West V i r g i n i a .

The bu i ld ing i s a n " I t a l i a n V i l l a s t y l e f e a t u r i n g . . . pa le s tone and

( C h e c k One)

n Moved O r i g i n a l S i te

s t ucco with low p i tched green t i l e roo f s . I t i s e l a b o r a t e and d i s t i n g u i s h e d

D E S C R I B E T H E P R E S E N T A N D O R I G I N A L ( i f known) P H Y S I C A L A P P E A R A N C E

with handsome s tone carved i n the Quat t rocento manner a l s o wi th two loggie--one an open porch and t h e o t h e r a sun room which suggest p l e a s a n t l y t h e p a v i l i o n of t h e V i l l a Medici a t Rome."

The e x q u i s i t e d e t a i l s o f t h e e x t e r i o r of t h e home f e a t u r e t h e u s of s t o n e i n t he I o n i c columns, pediment of t h e f r o n t e n t r y , porch b a l u s t r a d e s , and the carved s tone s h i e l d s and d e l l a robbia des ign i n t h e panels . Del icat1 i r o n g r i l l e work was used on t h e f r o n t doors a s we i l a s t h e second f l o o r ba l con ie s . E labora te s c r o l l e d wood was used i n t h e eaves wi th I t a l i a n t i l e f o r t h e porches.

A l l t h e i n t e r i o r rooms d i s p l a y the f i n e s t d e t a i l e d execut ion of workman. s h i p and beauty. The spac ious r ecep t fon h a l l has four I o n i c wood columns anc t h e paneled wood wa l l s d i s p l a y moulding, ga r l ands , Grecian u rns and d e n t i l grooved carv ings . The wide s t a i rway of t h e h a l l l eads t o a landing wi th a huge, c l e a r leaded g l a s s window of i n t r i c a t e p a t t e r n and beading r e l i e v e d wi th d e l i c a t e pink g l a s s ga r l ands of opaque g l a s s . The Bern in i type sp ind le : o f t h e s t a i r c a s e a r e enhanced by s c r o l l e d wood carv ings on t h e exposed s i d e .

The mahogany paneled l i v i n g room has b e a u t i f u l l y carved wood i n t h e corn ices and door pediment. The c e i l i n g was e l a b o r a t e l y decorated whi le this f l o o r , a s we l l a s o t h e r s , a r e parqueted. The f o c a l po in t of t he room i s a magnif icant s i x f o o t Ca r ra ra marble f i r e p l a c e . It i s decora ted wi th t h e s h i e l d , d e l l a robb ia , and d e n t i l des ign wi th t h e s h i e l d motif repea ted i n t h e b ra s s hood and t h e c a s t i r o n backing of t h e f i r e p l a c e opening.

The Durhams t r a v e l e d t o Europe t o s e l e c t many f i x t u r e s and fu rn i sh ings f o r t h e home. This i s most ev iden t i n t h e two marble f i r e p l a c e s ; a l l t h e c r y s t a l chande l i e r s , sconces, decorated s i l v e r ones, and most no tab ly t h e Dresden chande l i e r , scones , and c e i l i n g l i g h t s i n t h e mas ter bedroom; I t a l i a t i l e used i n t h e sunroom f l o o r and r e a r e n t r y h a l l ; German s i l v e r i n t h e s i r of t h e b u t l e r ' s pant ry and i n t h e door knob, h inges , and window f i t t i n g s of t h e d in ing room. I t a l i a n milk g l a s s i s found a s t h e w a l l t i l e of t h e k i t c h - en, powder rooms, bathroom, and u t i l i t y room.

Though t h e home i s c e n t r a l l y steam hea ted , a l l rooms have gas burning f i r e p l a c e s with wood carved mantels wi th e i t h e r marble o r t i l e fac ing and h e a r t h s . The oak paneled b i l l a r d room wi th oak beamed c e i l i n g has a massive s tone woodburning f i r e p l a c e .

The home was met icu lous ly and methodical ly maintained by Mrs. Durham u n t i l h e r dea th i n t h e 1960 ' s . M r . and Mrs. Harry P e t e r s purchased i t i n 1971 from h e r h e i r s .

PERIOD (Check O n e or More a s Appropr la to )

Pre -Ca lumbian ; 0 16th Century 17 18th Century a 20th Century

15 th Century 17th Century 0 19th Century

SPEC1 FIC DATEIS) (If A p p l i c a b l e e n d Known)

4~ EAS O F SIGNIFICANCE ( C h e c k O n e or M o r e a s Appropriele)

Abor ig ina l Educat ion P o l i t i c a l Urbon P l a n n i n g

Preh is tor ic Engineer ing R e l i g i a n / P h i . C] Other (Specify)

0 H i s t o r i c Industry losophy

Agriculture Invent ion n Science

Architecture L a n d s c a p e Sculpture

Art Arch i tec ture 8 S o c ~ a l / H u m o n -

0 Commerce L i t e r a t u r e i ta r ian Communications M i l i t a r y T h e a t e r

Conservat ion @ M u s i c 0 Transportation p- -- -

TATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

Of the private residences constructed in Sistersville, West Virginia, as a result of the rich oil strikes of the 1890fs, the Durham-Peters home is the most elaborate and elegant. Although its first owners were from Ohio, they chose to make their home, and to build their mansion in West Virginia, close to the source of their wealth. So intimately related to this source is the home that in its backyard there is a producing oil well which was capped in 1948.

As was to be expected, this local showplace became the center of the social life which grew up around the Sistersville oil industry. There are records of elaborate parties, balls, and other gatherings which were held amid the Mediterranean-type surroundings of the hrham home. Caterers from Wheeling, Pittsburgh, and Columbus furnished food and drink to the guests.

Edward B. Franzheim, the architect, painstakingly oversaw the entire construction with its myriad details. One story, related by Mr. Franzheim daughter, illustrates this:

"Mr. Franzheim wanted the eaves to be painted cafe au lait and when the painter said that he couldn't mix the paint that color, Mr. Franzheim went to Springer's Restaurant, bought a cup of coffee with cream, carried it to the paint shop, and worked with the painter until they had the exact shade desired."

There are other fine residences in Sistersville which resulted from the discovery of oil, but none are so representative of the community's desire to have the best that money could obtain. The Durham-Peters House is a symbol of the gifts that petroleum can bring.

9. MAJOR B ~ B L ~ O G R A P H ~ C A L REFERENCES - I An Historic Preservation-Economic Development Study for Sistersville, West Virginia, by Zeighler, VanTrump & Shane of Pittsburgh, 1971.

Original Blueprints, Edward Bates Franzheim, architect, Wheeling, W.Va., 1921

Bryant, Laura, Notes on the History of Sistersville, West Virginia, Annual Report of the West Virginia Antiquities Commission, 1971, Morgantown, W.Va.

GEOGRAPHtCAt DATA - .- -- .---- --- --A . LATITUDE AND LONLITUDE COORDINATES LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE COORDINATES

DEFINING A RECTANGLE LOCATING THE PROPERTY 0 DEFINING THE C E N T E R P O I N T O F A P R O P E R T Y

R OF LESS THAN TFN ACRES

I I 1 - TATE: CODE COUNTY CODE

'ORNER LATITUDE LONGITUDE LATITUDE

Degrees M ~ n u t e s Seconds Degrees M ~ n u t e s Seconds Degrees M ~ n u t e s Seconds

39' 33' 38 '

C "I 0 0

4PPROXIMATE ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY: 150 .IST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIEI

TATE: CODE COUNTY:

LONGITUDE

Degrees Minutes Seconds

81" 11 ' 03"

TATE: CODE COUNTY CODE

I I I - -- .- FORM PREPARED BY -- --

IAME AND TITLE

-- TATE: CODE COUNTY: CODE

West Virginia Antiquities Commission I April 23, 1973 TREET ANDNUMBER:

Mrs. Harry Peters, Owner; Maurice G. Brooks, Research Analyst for the

Old Mountainlair--West Virginia University v

IRGANI ZATION

--

ITY OR TOWN:

DATE

Morgantown - - . -- - - - - - - STATE L I A ~ S O G O F F ~ C E R CERTIF ICA I ION

A s the designated State L i a i s o n O f f i ce r for the N a -

t i ona l H i s t o r i c Preserva t ion A c t o f 19hG ( P u b l i c L a w

89-665), I hereby nominate t h i s property for i n c l u s i o n

in the Na t i ona l Reg is te r and c e r l i f y that i t has been

evaluated according to the c r i te r ia and procechres se t

for th b y the Na t i ona l Pa rk Serv ice. The recommended

l e v e l of s ign i f i cance of th is n o m ~ n a t l o n i s :

Na t i ona l State L o c a l a

Name

Maurice G. Brooks

T i t l e State Historic Preservation Officer

D~~~ May 30, 1973

STATE

- -

4

I CODE

West Virginia 1 54 NATIONAL REGISTER VERIFICATION

I hereby ce r t i f y that t h i s property i s inc luded i n the

Na t i ona l Reg is te r .

Chief , O f f i c e o f Archeo logy a n d H i s t o r ~ c Preserva t ion

D a t e

ATTEST:

Keeper o f The N a t i o n a l Reg i s t e r

L a t e

G P O 9 0 1 - 0 8 7