It’s always a delight to feast my eyes on a historic house that is not only visually appealing, but is well-maintained and not a cause of worry for anyone with a soul deeply attuned to the vagaries of historic preservation. And some houses from the first decade of the 20th century offer such an exuberant combination of the old and new (leftover remnants and architectural inspiration from the Victorian period, combined with the “modern” sensibility of the Colonial Revival style) that all I can do is flutter my eyelashes, voice a faint “oh my!” and enjoy myself thoroughly. The Hampton Bush House in Winchester is one such contender in the “causing me architectural vapors” category.
The facade of the Hampton Bush House, July 2022.
On November 6, 1901, Lewis Hampton Bush and Susan Anderson Miller, both of Winchester, Kentucky, were married. I can’t claim to know whether this was a match made from great passion and love, but it was certainly the joining of two prominent Clark County families. The Bush family helped settle the area, and Susan’s father, Dr. Washington Miller, was the president of the Citizen’s National Bank.
From the October 28, 1901 edition of the Lexington Leader.
This house made its appearance on the Sanborn Fire Insurance maps between 1901 and 1907, so I feel it is likely that Hampton Bush, a graduate of the University of Virginia Law School, and a rising young attorney, had this house built for he and his bride.
A detail of the facade, circa July 2015.
The facade of the house is a study in movement, shapes, and contrasts. A tower here! A swooping gable there? Singles, arched windows, small balconies and inset porches – the 2.5-story frame dwelling is all fanciful lines and pleasing patterns. I especially like the gently curving bay window above the central entry door – and the small window, with a sill supported by brackets, adjacent to the front door.
Section of the 1907 Sanborn Fire Insurance map showing the house.
The influence of the Queen Anne Style (and a bit of the Shingle style, perhaps) is seen in the undulating massing of the house. Chunky stone piers hold up the porch, while a stone balustrade offers an almost Prairie/Craftsman style touch to the inset porch on the side.
Rear elevation of the Hampton Bush House.
The interior was apparently quite modern and Colonial Revival at the time of its construction. The rear elevation of the house shows that all of the finery was saved for the front!
Side elevation and facade, July 2015.
Sadly, it seems that Hampton Bush’s life took an unfortunate turn soon after his marriage. When he died in 1915, at the age of 43, his obituary reported that he had been gravely ill for 10 years, and “almost helpless for the last five years.” He and Susan had no children, but she continued to live in the house into the middle of the 20th century. I hope that during their short time in this house Hampton and Susan Bush derived some pleasure from its architectural whimsey and ebullience.
It’s almost a little ‘kinky’, but not too ‘kinky’.
I was always left in the car whenever we went to see “Miss Sue.” What I remember were the stone cats she had playing on the garage roof.
The house is so unique. especially the tall grand entrance room, the sun room and the round music room. I love the winding stairway at the center back of the grand entrance room.
The full attic is the perfect play area for children of all ages.
Winchester is fortunate some very fine residential and commercial architecture
What a fantasy of shapes! Would there have been a style book, a vision of one mad architect, a model somewhere?
It’s grand to see it in such good shape. I’d love to see the inside.