| 502 W. Elm, known as the Sutton House, is a Queen Anne style house that has been named an Urbana Landmark. The house was built in 1889 by Elizabeth Sutton who was the widow of Royal A. Sutton, mayor of Urbana from 1874 to 1875 and a prominent brick manufacturer in the area. As any Queen Anne style house, the Sutton house is a very uniquely intricate house. The house is very unique to the area because it is only one of two Queen Anne houses constructed of red brick. The house embodies many of the common Queen Anne characteristics, including an irregular plan, an asymmetrical façade, a variety of roof and window elements, and a large wrap-around porch. Delicate turned spindles and ornate brackets support an intricate frieze on the wrap-around porch. The roof line of the house is very complex and is a combination of intersecting volumes, shapes, and forms. A square tower with a hipped roof is the tallest element of the house. Ornate brackets support the eaves of the square tower. A “cat-slide” roof element, which extends from the apex of the gable roof to near the ground, is prominent on the house. A white decorative wooden band under the cornice divides the roof level from the lower levels of the house. A common characteristic of Queen Anne houses is to provide a varied wall surface that is broken up by protruding bays and differing wall materials. The Sutton house has one two-story square protruding bay on the corner of the house. The triangular portion of the gable roof, near the apex, is covered with a combination of fish scale and diagonal patterned wood shingle work which is painted white. There is also a limestone water table, or horizontal ledge, near the base of the house. These complex wall planes and surfaces make up the overall intricate form of the house. There are a variety of window types on the Sutton House. The majority of the windows are segmental-arched, double-hung windows with arched brick lintels and limestone window sills. There are several square double-hung windows with stained glass inset. There are a few casement windows which also have stained glass inset into the upper sash. Several dormer windows protrude out from the roof line. Although the architect of the house is unknown, the eccentric and intricate design suggests the work of an accomplished architect. The Sutton house’s unique design and high quality materials are an excellent embodiment of the Queen Anne architectural style. Aside from being architecturally significant, the Sutton house is full of rich local history, having several prominent owners after Elizabeth Sutton. |
