Pennsylvania, province and state;: A history from 1609 to 1790 (Burt Franklin research and source works series, 652. American classics in history and social science, 170)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1899. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XXVIII. ARCHITECTURE AND FINE ARTS. From a cave in a bank by the Delaware, or from the shade of a pine tree to a stately mansion, denotes an enormous advance in personal prosperity and comfort. A log cabin was the first advance, then a floor was added, afterward a window, a door, improvements were made in the chimney, then the interior was plastered, afterward other changes, until the evolution of a comfortable dwelling. Then signs of taste began to appear; and style and effect were studied as well as comfort . This was more marked in the city than in the country. Brick and stone were used as substitutes for wood, houses were of greater length and width, and two stories instead of one. When Kalm visited New York in 1740, he remarked that the walls of the houses were whitewashed and their interiors were often covered with drawings and pictures in small frames. Hangings of rich cloth were imported from Holland or from India, and were occasionally seen in the houses of wealthy merchants in the principal cities. On the frontier, far removed from the Delaware, improvements in house-building were slower. Settlers assisted each other in doing the heaviest work, in felling trees. and in preparing and putting them in their places. Ovens were built away from houses and without a roof. One of the more noteworthy structures in Philadelphia during the provincial period was Penn's cottage. It was located in the centre of a plot of ground and was two stories high with garret room. The doorway was in the centre, with a bracketed porch-roof above. On either side were rooms having a single front window while the second story had three windows in front. Probably some of the original forest trees were retained. After his house at Pennsbury' was built, he preferred to live t...