76 Linwood Street Past and Present
We drove out to Ridgewood Reservoir a couple of weekends ago (getting horribly lost among all the cemeteries, but that’s a story for another time) and our eye was caught by this house at the corner of Linwood Street and Jamaica Avenue. It’s clear at first glance that it’s seen better days, but we wouldn’t…
We drove out to Ridgewood Reservoir a couple of weekends ago (getting horribly lost among all the cemeteries, but that’s a story for another time) and our eye was caught by this house at the corner of Linwood Street and Jamaica Avenue. It’s clear at first glance that it’s seen better days, but we wouldn’t have guessed what material it was originally built out of. Click through to see the old tax photograph for the answer. GMAP
That part of East New York, which I’ve known as Cypress Hills, has some beautiful homes. I once went inside the home of former Mayor John Lindsay, who grew up there. The property architecture is on par with Ditmas Park.
Yes, that appears to be asphalt/asbestos siding in the tax photo. Very popular in that era. Expensive to remove (if it contains asbestos). Well known for acting as a sponge and holding water and causing moisture problems with the underlying wood siding.
(1) I thought that was Queens… but it’s not? (2) I hear they hate trees out that way.
What happened to the trees? The one to the right, at least, looks like an elm. Chopped down after Dutch Elm disease? What a shame.
what material is it made of?
Wood frame, specifically, balloon-style framing first used on a large scale in Chicago after their great fire.
Originally this Queen Ann house was probably shingled in fancy patterns. At some point it got “brick siding” which is like a thick exterior wallpaper. and now it has vinyl siding.