344 VINCENT PLACE

HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE

344 Vincent Place was built for Henry E. McBride in 1931. Henry was a business contemporary of Edward O'Beirne. In addition, he was in partnership with his nephew, William Brady, in McBride and Brady Coal Company, located at 7 S. State Street. Henry's brother, David, was in the farm implement and automobile dealership business and his other brother, Thomas, was in the lumber business. Henry and his wife, Edna, lived at 344 Vincent Place until 1934 when they sold it to George and Luella Danner. George worked for the Stark Piano Company in Chicago. 

ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE

344 Vincent Place is a combination of multiple styles popular at the time including, Colonial Revival and the Prairie Style. It is a large, two-story house with a Prairie style low pitched, hipped roof that contains low pitched hipped dormers in both its east and west sides. The low pitched hipped roof is repeated in the single story wing on the structure's south side. The roofs have wide enclosed eaves, a Prairie style feature. 

The house is clad in light colored brick with keystones above the front windows, the same keystone feature is seen in 332 Vincent Place, another McBride house. Single paned windows in the front facade are symmetrically placed on either side of the front entry in groups of three with a small double window above the front entry. 

The house is simple with decorative detail concentrated on the front facade. Keystones and vertical bricks are used above the front windows. The front entry is the area of greatest detail. Double sets of squared columns with horizontal bands, in the Prairie style, support a gabled roof with curved underside, a Colonial Revival element. The door has sidelights and a sunburns design above it, another Colonial Revival element.

While it borrows the shape of a Georgian Revival style house, 344 Vincent Place lacks the design elements commonly seen in Georgians, such as 300 Vincent Place.

Sources: 2008 Heritage Plaque Application; Audio: TextAloud