Quincy Museum
The Quincy Museum has something for everyone! We offer guided tours through our restored Victorian home, we have exhibit spaces on the second floor with exhibits on local history. We offer exhibits on Native Americans, wildlife and DINOSAURS for children on our third floor. Bring the whole family to the Quincy Museum! We are accepting reservations for group tours.
History of the Home
The 2 ½ acre lot was purchased by Mr. Newcomb for $11,000 on April 10, 1880 and originally had a Greek revival home on the site. Newcomb had that house razed to make room for his new home.
The house was built of buff colored Berea Sandstone in the Richardson Romanesque Revival Style named for Boston architecture, Henry Hobson Richardson whose work set a new standard and direction for American architecture. The sandstone was mined from the Berea Formation near Amherst, Ohio, about 25 miles west of Cleveland. The general structure of the house is seen to have a tower effect on the southeast corner with alcoves in that corner on all three floors. Along the west side of the house, to balance the tower structure on the east, we see large bay windows on each of the three floors, also giving a tower effect. The roof was originally red slate with heavy terra cotta caps along the ridges.
Careful attention to detail is shown by the stone carvings extending from ground level to chimney top.
The Richardson Romanesque style of architecture characteristically shows a broad, round arch as well as massive stone exterior with spiky or leafy architectural ornamental carvings.
The gutters and down spouts are made of copper with large ornamental scuppers.
The front porch has a total of seven pillars supporting its roof. No two capitals are alike. In fact each side of every capital represents a unique design. The lion face at the porch roof level on the east side is especially noteworthy.
Originally there was a porch on the north side of the house and it has been restored.
The house contains 14,000 square feet of living space on three floors. There are also 2,200 square feet of usable space in the attic and 4,600 in the basement for a total of 20,800 square feet.
The house was heated primarily with steam heat and the basement contained not only the furnace, hot water heater and laundry but also a wine cellar and, at one time, a bowling alley.
The plan of the house features a central living hall around which were grouped a formal parlor and den on the west side and an informal sitting room and dining room on the east side, as well as a library.
Today, as when the house was built the entrance is off the front porch into the great hall. One cannot help but be impressed with the very large solid oak front door which is 54 1/2 inches wide. The kitchen is located in the north east corner where the old built in ice box and speaking tubes can still be seen.
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