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Pool House

DESCRIPTION

GENERAL

Plum Orchard Index

Plum Orchard February 2007

Pool House Forward

Pool House Introduction

Pool House General Description

Pool House Hunting Lodge

Pool House Dressing Rooms

Pool House Pool Chamber

Pool House Squash Court

Pool House Game Rooms

Pool House Utilities

Pool House Surroundings

Pool House Drawings

Pool House Photographs

The building is organized in six distinct elements or spaces, most dominant being the swimming pool chamber which was probably built first. This is suggested by the existence of shingle nail holes in that portion of the pool roof structure under the roof of the adjacent second floor guest room. Also, the floor framing surrounding the pool contains cut nails whereas the adjoining dressing area and hunting lodge floor framing contain wire nails. However, this may not be conclusive, since there was an extensive overlap in the late 19th and early 20th century in the use of cut nails which were succeeded by wire nails. Also, the pool chamber may have been built later, by a different contractor who preferred cut nails, their holding power being greater.

The game room and squash court elements were quite probably later additions. In the case of the game room section, wire nails were used. Also the framing system is of a quite modern type. Perhaps more convincing are the awkward, almost tortured connections of these elements to the pool chamber, especially the roof surfaces. These contrast sharply with the very regular design of the gymnasium, or apse-like end of the pool chamber, suggesting that the squash court and game rooms were afterthoughts. Also, Mrs. James Stillman Rockefeller, Thomas and Lucy Carnegie's granddaughter states that these two elements were added 1900-1904.

In any case, despite the building's irregularity as seen in plan and massing the various elements were adroitly unified and harmonized by several devices. Foremost was the uniformity of color and texture achieved by overall use of wood shingles for wall and roof surfaces, a thin skin shaped by the enclosed spaces with no structural expression. All principal roofs are hipped with Boston ridges. This treatment and the related horizontal emphasis produces a quieting simplifying effect despite the complexity of massing.

Other integrating details are the repeated chimney designs and the uniform use of double-hung windows at the first floor with the upper sash in 6" diamond lights (This sash design in top-hinged version is repeated at the upper levels). A distinctive wood water table occurs throughout above the repeated 2'-0" high foundation piers separated by diagonal wood lattices. At all major elements except the dressing rooms the roof eaves are finished with identical cornices including dentils. Typical door, window and trim details occur throughout except at the main entrance and at the Palladian windows. Color scheme is simple: weathered gray-tan shingles; white trim; and orange-red brick at chimneys and foundation piers.

[This information and accompanying photographs are from a National Parks Service Document. ]

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