| Great news! Sidney has
treasures—hidden treasures. They’re not buried in the ground, but under insipid
coats of white paint if painted at all. People drive by them daily without noticing them,
but it is encouraging to see some of these beauties being restored.
I’m speaking of the unusual and attractive
millwork seen most frequently on the houses in Sidney constructed during the mid to late
1800’s —the famous Victorian era homes. In some areas, where these houses appear
in several bright colors, they are called "painted ladies."
A closer acquaintance with these painted ladies can be gained through a driving tour of
the older portions of the city. Spotting and identifying them can be fun and instructional
even to those of us who couldn’t tell a corbel from a spandrel. You can see the
unusual windows, the framing, and other details that are or could be definite attributes
to the city. Many of our fine older homes were constructed by Joseph Altenbach, master builder. Among his credits
are St. Remy’s Catholic Church in Russia, Holy Angels, and our handsome Children’s Home. These and other buildings with
historical value cry out to be preserved as they are a part of Shelby County’s
history.
A particular area to explore is the eastern corner of Miami Avenue and Canal Streets.
The corner house has the proper sort of windows, interesting millwork on the porch, and a
sunburst. What a challenge! The house next door has a side porch with a necklace trim and
the third house has fish scale trim. How many sunbursts have you seen around town? I drove
past one on Miami Street opposite St. Marks church for 25 years, but the white paint
disguised it. How many other gems are lying neglected? We must treasure them now before
they fall victim to decay. |
