The Cappon House 

      The Cappon family home came to life during the Victorian era, which, in America, borrowed trends heavily from their former mother country. Queen Victoria's reign influenced all realms of life, from social interactions and fashion to home design. Houses were elaborate and fanciful, meant to show off wealth (an important societal marker). The Cappons, especially in the outset of Isaac’s career and life in America, could be classified as one of the ‘new’ money families in the area; instead of inheriting money and titles from a family line, they had built their wealth from the combined efforts of the Industrial Revolution and new trend in culture of buying, not making, products. Distinctions between classes grew, and cities expanded. The house is restored to its original layout and design as of 1900, known as the beginning of the Progressive Era in America. Remarkably advanced for its era, the house features indoor plumbing, a central hot-water heating system, running water, electricity and a telephone. 

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“The house exemplifies the impact of the Industrial Revolution that helped bring

convenience and comfort to the American home.”(Historic Houses of America)

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      The Italianate style of house design was modern, sitting on the edge of high style at the time. The interior is largely Renaissance Revival and Eastlake style furniture. Much of the Cappon family furnishings came from local companies such as the Baker Company, an international furniture manufacturer best known for period and European-inspired pieces. 

      Most homes of this style were constructed in the mid- to late-1800s. While this style of home could be found throughout the country, they were most popularized north of the Mason-Dixon Line. House size ranged from modest row houses to grand mansions, much like the Cappon residence. Size does not determine the Italinate style; instead, specific, ornate and detailed construction creates the look. Listed below are the HGTV guidelines for a home in the Cappon House style.

• Rectangular shape; Italianates have a plain shape and are usually two or three stories tall. 

• Sloping roofs; Italianate houses are easily distinguished by their gently sloping roofs and deep overhanging eaves, which are seemingly supported by a row of decorative brackets, or corbels.

• Brick, stone or stucco is used to construct the exterior.

• Tall, rounded windows. The windows are always tall, slim and most often rounded on top. They usually appear in sets of three, evenly spaced from left to right, but also show up as doubled-up pairs. First-floor windows are taller than those on upper levels. Shutters are seldom found on these homes, replaced by thickly hooded, pedimented or framed windows.

• Columned entryway. A single-story column-supported porch protects the double-door entrance.

• Square tower, or cupola. A centrally placed square cupola often just above the roofline. 

      The Cappon House varies in some of these instructions, undoubtedly due to the numerous design and construction overhauls taken on during its lifetime. The house shape itself is rectangular, but features some small exterior additions, including a multiple porches and, at one time, a sunroom. The roof hangs overtop of the building exterior, but the roofs are unusally flat. Window height remains consistent throughout both levels of the home. Only one door, as opposed to a double-door, is fixed at the main entrance, and while a cupola was temporarily installed on the house, it did not make an appearance until later in the house's life. 

      Click here for a timeline of the Cappon House's history, or click here for in-depth room profiles. 

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