Photo credit:
Paul Baker Touart, 04/1984
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Waddy House
Inventory No.:
S-87
Other Name(s):
Jarvis Ballard House
Date Listed:
11/1/1988
Location:
Perryhawkin Road , Oakville, Somerset County
Category:
Building
Period/Date of Construction:
1740-1760
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Description:
The Waddy House, also known as the Williamson farm or the Jarvis Ballard house, is a 1 1/2-story mid-18th century house facing north, supported by a raised Flemish bond brick foundation. The four-room plan dwelling measures 32' feet across by 32' feet deep. The four walls are laid in Flemish bond, and the north wall is distinguished by a carefully laid glazed header checkerboard pattern. The steeply pitched roof is covered with asphalt shingles. The north or main elevation is an asymmetrical facade with a centrally located entrance and flanking 6/6 sash windows. The segmental arches over the doors and windows have alternating glazed headers. Two gable-roofed dormers with 6/6 sash windows pierced the roof, and the base of the roof is finished with a plain boxed cornice. Similar to other early brick houses in Somerset County, the upper corners of the brick wall are corbeled. The east gable end is laid in Flemish bond with random glazed headers and a two-course beltcourse. The south facade is covered by a partially enclosed shed addition. The west gable end is similarly detailed as the east end with a two-course beltcourse that divides the Flemish bond wall highlighted by random glazed headers. The first floor is divided into four rooms with the squarish stair hall located in the southeast corner.
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Significance:
Built during the middle years of the 18th century (1740-1760), the Waddy House is one of a small collection of early brick houses surviving in Somerset County. This group of early houses represent the most expensive dwellings erected at the time and exhibit finely executed Flemish bond walls, glazed checkerboard-pattern brickwork, and finely crafted interior paneling. In contrast to the other eight houses in this group, the Waddy House is one of the least altered. Contemporary to Williams Conquest (S-64) and Makepeace (S-81), the Waddy House displays similar features such as glazed checkerboard brick patterns and segmental arches that span the window and door openings. The four-room first-floor interior retains a significant portion of its mid-18th century woodwork with a turned baluster stair and a raised-panel overmantel in the parlor. In addition, six-panel doors on the first floor and five-panel doors on the second floor remain on each door frame.
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TEA-21 funds,
administered by the Maryland State Highway Administration, supported data development for this project.