Sorg Mansion – a Top Opportunity in Middletown, Ohio – Part II

Second in a three-part series

I was not prepared for what I was about to see as Fritz and I walked up that gravel drive. Stunned might be a good word to describe how I looked with those first feelings of awe and excitement.

As I continued gawking (staring? drooling?) what really struck me was the visual richness of the exterior. Every square inch of this building, literally, was a feast for the eyes, whether it was the patterns and colors in the sandstone, the colorful reflective quality of the stained glass, the subdued shine of the black slates, or the varied pieces of ornament attached to the exterior. It was an amazing sight to behold, and now we had the privilege of looking this building up and down, end to end, taking as much time as we could to enjoy and savor this unique structure.

Since words can’t do it justice, I’ve included some images from that day, so you can see for yourself the beauty of the Sorg Mansion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The house features a variety of turrets at its corners. One turret led to a conservatory, and it appears from the first floor plan that the turret and conservatory were mainly glassed-in. Unfortunately, the conservatory had been removed at some point in the past; however, that was the only significant piece of the building’s footprint that was missing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The massive romanesque arches sheltering the front entryway recall Richardsonian stylings that were popular for the era.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The quality (and sheer amount) of the quality stone carving was unlike anything I had ever seen on a private residence. To put the amount of ornament into perspective, consider this: the house cost a million dollars (in 1880s dollars) to construct, and it’s for sale today for almost half that amount. But to construct this same house today, replicating the materials and finishes, would easy cost tens of millions of dollars. What does that say about how we celebrate, and how we value, our historic resources?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In many places the stone appears to be almost black; however, the exterior’s original color was more of a pink (and peachy, with some swirls of light beach sand) color. Years of air pollution have considerably darkened the stones. Thankfully the microscopic particles adhering to the stone have not caused serious damage or deterioration to the surface. Whether to remove the pollutants and restore the stone to its original color is a restoration decision for the owner to consider.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Having seen the exterior, I couldn’t wait to get inside to see whether it had been a lucky survivor as much as the outside. I was not disappointed…

 

Heritage Ohio created the Top Opportunities program in 2007 to raise awareness about historically significant properties for interested investors, developers, and funders. It is Heritage Ohio’s aim to demonstrate the economic benefits of historic preservation through the restoration and reuse of these sites.