The Colonial Revival Style

As the nineteenth century was coming to an end America's architectural tastes were changing.  The picturesque styles for house architecture such as Italianate and Queen Anne were no longer vogue, replaced by Colonial Revival, Bungalow, Tudor or Foursquare.   William Waters was an architect who changed with the times, working in the latest styles as per his client's wishes.  Mr. Waters examples of Colonial Revival are few but impressive.  One of the architects' earliest efforts was the 1903 Oshkosh Yacht Club on the lake shore at the foot of Washington Avenue, a tour de force of colonial grace and style.  Not built as a house but a club house it would have made an impressive mansion.

Further examples of Mr. Waters' work in this style don't come along until 1911 with the  design of a home for bank president Louis Schreiber, a brick structure on Algoma Blvd. adjacent to the Paine Art Museum.  The residence was the ideal of a colonial style home of the twentieth century and recently was the center of concern when the art museum offered it for the price of a dollar to anyone who would move it.  A happy ending has played out with an agreement to relocate the building not far away.  

Yet another colonial revival dwelling was one designed in 1915 for Mrs. Catherine Noyes.  Mrs Noyes was the widow of Dr. J. C. Noyes and after her husband's passing she had a fine new home built on Court Street only a block away from her former residence.  The house was of frame construction with two stories and a side porch on the first floor.  Mrs. Noyes lived in the house for many years and after her death the place became a gift shop.  The house was razed many years ago to make way for a parking lot.

Mr. Waters' practice started to slow as the new century aged.  Although still well respected William Waters had greater competition from younger, more aggressive architects.  Waters made drawings and sketches of houses, perhaps as ideas to present to prospective clients but it's unclear if any were built.  

To my  recollection there are only thses few expressions of Colonial Revival Style to architect Waters' credit.