Kansas City metropolitan residents will recognize a distinctive architectural style known as shirtwaist houses as they explore this metro region. Essentially, these spacious two- to three-story homes feature first floors made of brick or locally quarried limestone with upper levels that feature stucco or wood lap siding for ultimate versatility.
Owning one of these iconic buildings requires special care when undertaking home remodeling projects, and engaging a specialist who specializes in historic home renovation is integral to preserving their distinctive architecture.
Characteristics
Shirtwaist houses are easily identifiable by their distinctive pinched design that mimics the appearance of a blouse cinched at its waist. Often, two-story structures typically consist of brick or stone first-floor surfaces clad with wood paneling on subsequent floors, typically featuring large front porches, steep roofs, tall roofs, and narrow windows to complete this architectural style.
Shirtwaist Houses were famous from 1900 to 1920, contributing significantly to industrialization and urban expansion during this period. Unlike Craftsman or Victorian homes that were prevalent at this time, this modernist design better accommodated middle-class life with larger living spaces and kitchens.
Harris and Blanck owned the Triangle Shirtwaist Company yet lived a different lifestyle than those employed at their factories. Instead, they resided on Manhattan’s Upper West Side in luxurious brownstones, using chauffeured cars to reach work each day. Furthermore, Harris and Blanck used their power to thwart the International Ladies Garment Workers Union by refusing to increase wages or reduce work hours – an influence which they used effectively against unionized garment workers who sought better wages or shorter hours from them.
Even after the factory fire, Harris and Blanck continued their campaign to maintain their status as successful manufacturers. They hosted reporters at their homes and defended themselves, insisting they had taken all the necessary precautions. They even utilized victims’ families as propaganda in order to cement their image.
Harris and Blanck were notorious for their uncompromising business tactics, particularly when it came to employee safety. To compete against 11,000 other shirtwaist makers in New York City, Harris and Blanck encouraged their female immigrant employees to produce as many shirts as possible while maintaining accurate inventory records and hiring a foreman to supervise the crowded factory during working hours – even locking off an additional exit door during working hours to prevent thefts from stealing away shirts from production lines.
Shirtwaist houses have long been beloved homes due to their classic aesthetic and spacious layouts, as well as their rich history. If you’re interested in purchasing one of these historic properties, an experienced real estate agent is ready to assist in finding one to meet your needs. Additionally, due to renovation needs on landmark properties, a specialized home remodeling company must be hired; one familiar with historical architecture as well as experienced in restoring them properly in order to preserve the integrity of the structure and features such as repairs or additions can do just this job effectively.
Origins
A shirtwaist is a type of women’s blouse featuring a high waistline. Popular since the late 19th century and often associated with working women, its popularity exploded during the late 19th century when the Triangle Shirtwaist Company factory burned in New York City, killing 146 workers; this tragedy led to increased workplace safety regulations while serving as an essential rallying point in women’s suffrage movement.
After the fire, Harris and Blanck immediately launched an effort to rebuild their image as responsible manufacturers. They invited reporters from The New York Times into their homes, insisting they had taken all appropriate precautions. Though ultimately charged with manslaughter, Harris and Blanck settled with families of victims for one week’s pay per worker as compensation.
At this same time, several styles emerged that incorporated symmetrical designs and front porches. One regional variation called foursquare became extremely popular between 1900 and 1920 in Kansas City and other Midwest regions, particularly between Kansas City and St Louis. Constructed between these years using brick or quarried limestone construction with wood cladding on later levels for further floors, its simple yet practical design made it suitable for mail-order house kits from Sears catalog companies such as theirs.
Some homes were constructed so their owners could remodel them themselves, providing broad appeal among families starting and those looking for alternatives to more modern or luxurious dwellings.
Today, shirtwaist houses may be rare sights, but they still can be found throughout Kansas City and other Midwest regions. While renovated to meet modern comfort and efficiency standards, their historic fabric must always be protected during renovation processes such as refinishing hardwood flooring or installing modern kitchens – so finding a contractor familiar with working on historic properties is crucial for their preservation.
Styles
“Shirtwaist” refers to a type of blouse featuring gathers around the shoulders, made famous by American artist Charles Dana Gibson’s (1867-1944) Gibson girl sketches. These blouses were most frequently made out of solid white or cotton material; more decorative fabrics like silk and lace may have also been used for dressier versions of shirtwaists.
The Shirtwaist House was a variation of Four Square architecture that emerged regionally across the United States during the early 1900s. These homes, typically found in urban settings, were distinguished by their narrow design and tall windows; unlike most housing styles at that time, they also featured brick or stone first floors and wood cladding on the second-floor level – giving rise to their nickname “Shirtwaist”.
There were various variations of Shirtwaist houses across the United States. Kansas City saw many examples in the Hyde Park neighborhood; today, many remain. Sometimes known as Midwest Shirtwaists, these historic homes typically feature two-story brick or stone frontage with stucco or wood siding on upper levels for maximum aesthetic impact.
A wide variety of home buyers were drawn to these properties due to their affordability and unique design. Their open layout allowed more effortless movement between rooms on the first floor, and narrow staircases provided easy access to the second floor without taking up too much space. Though no longer popular due to contemporary housing designs becoming more prominent, these houses continue to attract many homebuyers for their historic charm and practicality.
Houses built prior to 1920 often need remodeling in order to meet modern lifestyle needs, making it essential that Kansas City home remodeling companies understand these unique structures and their specific requirements. Ceiling heights tend to be high when dealing with historic properties; be mindful when adding lighting fixtures or other fixtures that may interfere with this feature of their design.
Reworking a shirtwaist requires some changes, too, including shifting the private den to the rear of the house and connecting it with the living area through an opening. This helps break down traditional rigid boundaries between rooms while creating more open floor plans that are popular today.
Variations
Shirtwaist houses were trendy during the early 1900s yet fell out of fashion as new housing styles emerged. Still, this distinct architectural style continues to be recognized for its affordability, practicality, and efficient design – features like two or three-story front facades with two or three stories, steeply gabled roofs with flared eaves and brick, stone or stucco siding on upper floors can help identify one of these homes.
Some homeowners of Kansas City shirtwaist houses complain about limited closet space, which is an inherent limitation of older homes built before people owned large wardrobes. However, adding extra closets during a home remodeling project is usually straightforward and will create more closet space than is initially available.
Homeowners in shirtwaist houses can expect spacious upper floors that are designed to accommodate bedrooms and living spaces, such as prominent front porches with staircases leading from the first to the top feet of their residences. Kitchens typically reside nearer the back, while bedrooms usually face the front of the house.
Housename derives its name from a type of shirtwaist blouse popular among working-class women during the early 1910s. Unlike corsets that helped maintain sculptured figures, shirtwaist blouses allowed for more significant movement while keeping natural waistlines without needing to button up their blouses when necessary.
These shirts were often decorated with frills, lace, or other ornaments for decorative effect, and they had long skirts with either round or tailored collars. By 1914, shirtwaists had gradually eased away from the rigid puff shoulders of Gibson girl fashion to become worn untucked, eventually giving way to dropped waist blouses by 1920. As a result of this transitional phase in shirtwaist fashion history, house designers named any house that reflected this style the Shirtwaist House.
