John Shelp Cobblestone House
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John Shelp Cobblestone House | |
 East profile and south (front) elevation, 2010 | |
   | |
| Location | West Shelby, NY |
|---|---|
| Nearest city | Lockport |
| Coordinates | 43°9′17″N 78°27′51″W / 43.15472°N 78.46417°W |
| Area | 11 acres (4.5 ha)[1] |
| Built | 1836[1] |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| MPS | Cobblestone Architecture of New York State MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 08001079[2] |
| Added to NRHP | November 20, 2008 |
The John Shelp Cobblestone House, also known as the Shelp–Beamer House, is located on West Shelby Road (Orleans County Route 87) in West Shelby, New York, United States, just east of the Niagara–Orleans county line. It is an 1830s cobblestone house in the Greek Revival architectural style.
Of the six cobblestone buildings in the Town of Shelby, it is the most accomplished stylistically. In the late 19th century, the interior was renovated into a more contemporary style. In 2008, the house, two barns, and a milk house on the grounds were listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[2]
The house is located near the southwest corner of an 11-acre (4.5 ha) lot at the northeast corner of the junction of South County Line and West Shelby roads. The area is rural, with large lots consisting primarily of worked fields with some scattered second-growth trees, a large wooded area to the south-southeast, and houses at the roads. It is generally level with a slight slope to the north. In the rear are the three contributing outbuildings.[1]
The main house has two sections, a two-story five-by-two-bay main block with a two-by-two-bay wood frame two-story wing on the northeast corner. The slope of the ground exposes the basement at the rear, giving the house the appearance of three stories. Both sections are topped by shallow pitched gabled roofs shingled in asphalt. The main block is pierced by a single brick chimney at the south end.[1]
A shed-roofed porch with wooden Tuscan columns and balustrade covers the centrally located main entrance, the two bays to its west, and the east elevation of the main block. The cobblestone siding consists of four horizontal rows per limestone quoin of medium-sized field stones with lime mortar between. Windowsills and lintels are of cut stone.[1]
Wooden louvered shutters flank the six-over-six double-hung sash windows; on the west facade the two northern windows are shuttered and the south window on the first story longer than the other three. The two bays east of the entrance have large plate glass windows. At the roofline a molded wooden frieze sets off an overhanging cornice with returns. Blind lunettes are located in the gable fields.[1]
A screen door protects the paneled front door, set off by sidelights. It opens into a central hallway with a natural-finish oak staircase rising two flights to the second story. Oak is also used for the paneled spaces below the stair's balustrade, which incorporates a small bench.[1]
All interior woodwork on the first floor is similar natural-finish oak. The door and window surrounds are flat pilasters with ogee-profile moldings at the entablature. In the basement is the original kitchen fireplace, with bake oven.[1]
The milk house is a single-story single-bay frame structure with gabled roof, a door and two windows. The main barn is on a rubblestone foundation, with an earthen ramp providing entrance. Both it and the two-story gabled carriage barn, where sliding doors provide access to both levels, are sided in vertical board and batten.[1]
