145 Forest Home Dr Ithaca

The main part of this house is a one-and-a-half story Greek Revival structure with its ridge line parallel to the creek. It features a gable roof with returns and a wide frieze band. The front facade is four bays wide; the entry is protected by a small shed-roofed stoop, and windows are nine-over-six double hung sash. One two-pane frieze window remains above the entry, the others have been replaced with small six-over-six double hung sash. Extending to the side is a single story three-bay gable-roofed wing with a recessed entryway and nine-over-six double hung sash. Extending beyond this addition is a two-car garage. Two additions extend to the rear of the house: a one-and-a-half story gable-roofed ell and a single story shed-roofed addition. Aluminum siding covers the original clapboards.

The small, one-story wing may have been original, though it seems likely to have been an early addition. The porches on the main and side wings are twentieth century additions. The porch on the main wing replaced a pedimented entryway, which was supported on brackets. A former owner believed that the rear (west) one- and two-story additions date from the 1930s: the two-car garage may also date from that period. The shutters are not original to the house. In the 1980s, most of the frieze windows were replaced with double hung windows.

This residence is one of several Greek Revival cottages from about 1830 on and around the Byway. They were associated with the early Fall Creek mills. This property may have also been the site of the first mill in Forest Home, operated by a Mr. Sydney, beginning in 1794. The house itself was built by the Cradit family, who were primarily concerned with the establishment of the mill trade along the banks of the creek. The area between the house and Forest Home Drive was once the site of Mortimer's smithy and a turning shop that later became the Bool's Furniture Mill.  These two buildings are shown in the map of Free Hollow in the 1866 Atlas of Tompkins County [See https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e3-b9c5-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99].  The house was originally surrounded by farm land.

The house was owned by Isaac Cradit and later by his sons. Isaac Cradit built the first turning shop near this house about 1830.  This shop produced furniture and millwork for the houses Cradit was building in the village. Mr. Bool purchased the shop in 1893 and modernized the factory.

Included in Forest Home Historic District with USN 10906.000043. To access the Building-Structure Inventory Form (sometimes referred to as the "Blue Form"), from which many of the details above are drawn, including the approximate year built, follow these Lookup Instructions.