Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 27, 1911)
The Omaha Sunday Bee PAEI TOXE FAIT IKirt CHILDREN PACES 051 TO rOUTL HOME MAGAZINE I PAGES OTP. to ran i ( J INT- i i f I VOL. XLI-NO. 10. Country Homes Wherein Omaha Business Men -3 i! 4 Bans arTTz&oT? 2?. zzzatzvzjj or jrza&nzrcz; MPROVEMEXT la U cbrtcter of build ice in late years bat bn oohere to great, perhaps, as ia the construction of country homes. This Is the result of what someone his called the "arousing of the artistic conscience of the people," accompanied, necessarily, by the finan cial ability to indulge the demands of this stimulsted esthetic sense. CiTic bodies, afitiUnV the city beautiful cam paign, bare helped materially to stir the desire for better lirlag conditions among all classes. Architects and landscape gardeners, park boards and improve ment clubs, bare also a!dd the steady trend toward the ideal or, at least, toward the most enjoyable and conrenient types of homes for individuals and ele gsntly ornate structures for larger purposes. Schools, thesters and churches hsve been benefited through the ssme channel. So far has this movement pro gressed thst a goodly number of cities are now prac tically "msking themselves over." Ajnerteans Adapt Many Style. Americans borrow inspiration from many sources, nd it will not be stretching the truth to say thst America country homes Nebraska and Omaha country homes specifically included reflect many Upea and typify widely diverse notions of beauty, oomfort and retreat from the busy whirlpool ef mod era city life. Among them will be found the English simplicity, the Swiss picturesque, the Asiatic airiness. the Indian bungalow varied and improved, and some types peculiarly American. Older 'eoaatriea have their traditions to direct or guide them In the making of tha country residence; Americans hsve only their inspired adaptability to lead them aright Of course, there were the old New England structures, mostly four-aquare to the whistling winds, and the spscious mansions of the ante-bellum south, but they were de velopments in the building art. modified to suit pe culiar conditions and satisfy finicky temperaments. Their good features have been preserved in many cases, both in city and country; but wide departures are noted on every band. Originslity. that pre eminent American trait, has been giTen full play in the pretentious msnelon on hilltop or table flat, and in the hillside csbinMke home that conceals from first glsnce the possession of all modem conveniences. Conatry Hones Growing In Popularity. Withia the life of the present generation of 0msti.Es the building of homes "ia the country" has beea given its Initial imp t us. Even the oldest of the local suburban homes is not in the anue&i clsss, but some of them will compare very favorably wjih similar torn spots in scy stata. and quite a few give promise of a later development that will put them in tha "show" class. Country places like those of Arthur Brsndels snd Thomas R. Crane, north of the rlty, are noted for some particular feature- On the Brandeis place almost countless flocks of white poul try are wonderful to behold; at the Crane place great stratches of roses account for the name, Rosemere. There is. too. in both cases, a completeness of equip ment about the homes that leaves nothing to ba iesired .r sbout this city are found grand opportunities, so far as landscape is concerned, for the location of xuntry rrtidences. Hill snd valley, wooded snd ro'ling laed. with wide views snd perspectives to en trsnce the beauty lover, sre to be rescted easily, by itreet car In some instances, but more hsndily by mtomobile. The country about Florence holds de rided attractions furnished by esture; but within very short distances of Eenson, Dundee, and South Drr.aha are almost equally dasirsble sites. Tha per 'ection of the horseless vehicle fsst. reliable, luxuri es to almost any degree money may demand, summer in wtrter alike has gives a fijwsrd Impetus to the jonstruction of costly suburban residences la recent rears, and this Important desideratum, .uick trscs Krtstlon. will serve to accelerate the growth of this )artlcular branch of home building Walnut Lod First 1st This Section. Walnut Lodge, the country home ef the late Guy Barton, was tha pioneer venture of the kind by an OMAHA, r. V' 4 V, ' . '. . .'v'V '?. o .. - X': in n.'r 'rirlr "9 1 ..Jib- !iiSnr i ' . TP . """ z.-? '.". - mm i : nn 1 1 iff 1 1 m i.! 3 I.I It I i II f i I- JB 5 fVVi35 I I I 11 I fit UssJij-HILJ ml m ,-. a i f e'- v JBal IS 1 2i&Ezm span's Omaha citizen, If we except the eld home of Dr. George L. Miller, at Seymour lake, which was de stroyed by fire a good many years ago. The Barton estate owns a large smount of land surrounding Wal nut Lodge,, and the house itself is set in grounds that are a good many acres in extent. A small artificial lake was created in the immediste vicinity of the house and sb'.de and ornamental trees in generous number serve to give it a most attractive setting. It is not a costly house, es such things go, but it is very substantial and complete, with its own water and elec tric light system. Tom Craae's Fine Place Rosemere, the Crane place on the hill north of Florence, was the first pretentious suburban home erected in that btauuiui section. Ten acres are com prised in the tract of which the home is the center, and by tha skill of the expert gardener, closely ad vUd and superintended by Mr. Crane himself. Rose-' mere has been brought to the point where it is a de light to the visitor and a constsnt source of pleasure to its occupant. If the ordinary dining room, for issucc. be not fsvored, breakfast and other meals can be served on a commodious and breezy porch where the fly is excluded and the mosquito cannot enter. The Arthur Brandeis place, heretofore mentioned, lies on the road running north from Krug park. It was built about five yeara ago, and Mr. Brandeis, being a practical man as well as an Intense lover of artistic wurroundings, is making his investment pay. He has a cozy home of no great pretensions at present, but with wide possibilities for Improvement in the future. Hia chicken yarda are noted throughout the country among devotees of tha rooster and the hen. the egg and the omelet, and ha can stake himself or bis friends to hen fruit of spproved quality, no met ter what the msrVet price. Also, when the strain of the business hustle gets on his serves he hss a most Inviting retrest on which to fall back for quiet aolaoa in bis Doujlas county country home. r. P. KlrkendaU Has Big Plans Mad. "Kirkwood" wUl one of these dsys be a word full of meaning to anybody discussing Ideal country homes. Thst is the name selected by F- P. Klrkendsll for the estste ha is beginning to develop at what waa for many years known aa Prlee lake. Mr. Klrkendall has gone about his task a pleasant one. withal in a businesslike fashion. Having picked a commanding site for his proposed new heuse on a hilltop centrally located on the estste, be has lsld out winding reads and weodlsnd paths converging ea this central feature. A dam has been constructed ef concrete a short dlstsare off the river roed. to bold the waters of what will be a rather extensive lake or waterway, SUNDAY MORNING, AUGUST 27, - 1 ' 5- ft- V surmrrR jioue or. c 7 T- uznzzz? sam: jappio tzzttv with ample provision for tsking csre of the overflew. Not only will this sheet of water be a thing of beauty -attaching to Kirkwood. but it will also furnish facili ties for bathing, boating and sksting. It is to be spanned by several rustle bridges. Just whst amount of money will be spent on this new country estate would be idle to estimate, but the enthusiastic neighbors, clustered on the hillsides all about, are even now cherishing the boast that the Klrkendall country place will be lit when ni6hed to take high rank on the list of show places in and about Omaha. Their anticipations seem to be entirely Justified, too. Judging by the plsce as It appesrs in the rough. Every natural feature is calculated to lend Itself to beauti flcatlon to almoat any Imaginable degree. Broad lew Farm, Pride of George WfL Speaking of neighbors to Kirkwood brings us to the point where it is permissible to say that Farmer George West is fast laying tha foundation that will make him as well known by that designation as when we now speak of him aa George West, the railroad man. He has so many apples bsngi&g on his trees this year that be could not eat them if he lived to be as old as Methuaalen. Likewise, Farmer West hss grapea that would make wine enough to float a ship of modest dimensions, and apricots, berries, tomatoes, potatoes and salad materials, to say nothing of a healthy family of children. Mr. West s summer heme ha insists on modesty, ss usual is Jus a shack, to hear him tell about it; but when one gets there he wishes he could stay all summer. The entrance la off the river road, and when Mr. West gets to the point where he considers the best view is in sight be says, "I csll my plsce Broadview Farm." It de serves the name, ss would sny of the many adjoining acres on which homes have been planted. One can see pleasing stretches of hill, meadow and river in every direction, and no prospect can be found that is not a delight to the eye. Robert F. Bscon of the McCord-Brady company last year purchased a country place adjoining the Klr kendall tract. He moved there with his fsrallv snd they all liked it so well Mr. Bacon has concluded to make It bis permanent home. Being a man who needs little or no sleep. "Bob" Bacon baa no objection to getting op with the lark in order to be In tha city be fore 8 o'clock every morale g. Learned and Wrmaa .Ira Neighbors. Myron Learned's summer tome, close to the West place, la ao situated that there Is more than ordinary basis for bia claim that he is msster of tha most beautiful view la Douglas county. Mr. Learned claima ha can take la tha whole country from Manawa to Missouri Valley, and after standing before his ram- mm 1911. '1, -"Irf' J1 IM -1 -- jf. 7 5C2Z22E2? &02XZ OF 225- C C.AZZIS02T SA i n IT bllng. but very enticing, bungalow one is quite willing to commend the admirable taste of Mrs. Learned in selecting the site for her country home. Good taste is evident ia the construction work already dona on the Learned place aa. Indeed, It ia evident on tha other places all about. The owners may be worki&g slowly, but they are certain of the ends aimed at, and when the plscs made or Incubating are all perfected these hills north of the city of Florence will be classed as an adornment of tha general landscape hard to equal anywhere. Henry Wymsn has a home adjoining tha Learned place, and after going Into raptures over the first, one glances with misgiving at tla opinion aa he takes la the view from the second. Working with Learned far company, Mr. Wymsn has roughly hewed out paths through the woods that lead to continual ex posures of admlrsble vistas. He calls bis plsce Woodney. very spproprlately, for it is prolific of the hardwood growths scattered so plentifully over the face of this particular section. Wholesome simplicity is to be the distinguishing characteristic of Woodney, both in nousa and grounds, and the same character isation will apply to tha other homes scattered about the hilltop, according to their ownera lUngwalt Brothers Have Mce. Retreats. "Decorative kickshaw, aa such, do not make mucH of aa appeal to me," says Theodore L Ringwalt, who baa a tidy little place alongside Wytnan Which does not meaa that Mr. Ringwalt baa no eye for beauty, rather the contrary. A main feature of his grounds is a pergola that promises to be popular ss a lounging spot later on, from which it will be Judged ha has a liking for expansive, solid beauty that is at once deao rative and useful- Holcroft is tie name of this place. John R. Ringwalt also has a country home la this neighborhood. It Is perched oa as elevation from which one could apparently jump Into the Missouri river, floicg below. Like most of tha other summer homes hereabout. Oak Ridge (as Mr. Ringwalt calls his place) has about it an air of restfulness and peace that catches the fancy at once. A great, big porch serves ss a living room, and this feature is to be found very strongly in evidence st all the homes mentioned Mesls sre served on the porches, all tightly screened, and they also are used ss sleeping quarters when tfcs nights are extra warm. Fine rUeee Little Farther Out, Louis C Nash is one of tha Omaha mti who baa gone a considerable distance from the city to estab lish bis summer borne. It Is built on the bill west of -aaaaaaweiekMb. m . s. 8lW I 1 ' MSMM.1- t. Til r ?Jy, -.'r, . :rt . . ... v.r, .'1: ; daUMMsasvaaasMMMMnMnMnassHM SINGLE COPY FIVE CENTS. Take Pride Ell Hi; J If 1 1 Cetrman, and combines the pastoral features ef farm Ufa with tha modern accoutrements of convenience. Mr. Nash and bis family and guests can watci thai lambkins gambol when they feel like it. or eat tie sweet, raw turnip fresb from the ground Martin F. Reum bss christened hia eouitr bona Fappio View. It is located oa West Dodge street gad ia one of tbe best types of suburban residence to be found la the vicinity of Omaha. A garage la keeping with the character of the house Is located la the rear, and In the basement of the residence Mr. Reum baa a bowling alley, where he can take regular exercise te enable him to shoulder a beef without much difficulty. Miss Lucy Harding, secretary of tha Board o( Trade building, makes chickens, pigeons, eggs and garden truck the main features of her place. 8ee Osks. on the bill west ef Florence. By combining business with plessjre st her country place Miss Hard Ing finds good living comes easy. E. Porter Peck erected a very fine country borne some years ago st Cslhoun. It is occupied by Lyman Peck, and a wealth of magnificent shrubbery a the main landscape feature. Mr. Peck takes exceeding pride in the high grade of bia bogs, breeding a great many classy animals from one of the best strains. C. w. Pstrtrldge bss a handsome suburban resi dence a abort distance north of Florence and Is fast bringing his grounds into first-class condition. Chstlea Ady has a nice plsee close by. Move GouDUTwerd is Steady. This list by no means covers all of the suamef home builders, but it will serve to indicate the scop of the spreading-out movement that baa caught tha fancy of Omaha men and women who have the eaaa to gratify their taste ia this direction. A great many folks in various walks of life have ia recent years bought suburban property and are dwelling ia sereae comfort sod happiness ia modest homes tbsy bve erected thereon. They cvllivate gardens and dtvota a good deal of attention to poultry and other light branches of agriculture, as well ss cultivating vine yards, orchards. Cower beds, shrubs and vines X surprising number of these homes off the mala trsv eled routes are lighted by electricity and bout water systems of their own. A drive through the sections indicated will prove a decided pleasure to soy person having the time and inclination to make the trip. Rural architecture is to ba teea oa every bsnd is tasteful demonstration, and the immediate surround lngs of the bouses, large and small, are kept is a blgh state of cultivation and adornment ... a : r - r 1 1 '