A Colonial Revival style residence built by owner Andrew McElwee in 1948 is patterned after a picture on a birthday card sent to McElwee, called "My Old Kentucky Home," representing a house in Bardstown, Kentucky. It is a formal, six-by-two bay brick house with a slate gabled roof and returns, and is connected to a hip-roofed garage by an open breezeway. The house features a recessed center doorway with sidelights and fanlight. Small elliptical windows flank either side of the doorway. There are paired casement windows throughout the house, Exterior chimneys are found on the south and north gable ends. The rear of the house overlooks Fall Creek.
The architect, Richard E. Metzger, began working in the Ithaca office of J. Lakin Baldridge in the early 1930s. He was in a partnership with another architect from around 1935 to 1945, then worked independently until he retired ca. 1980. According to his widow, Gladys, he designed many residences in Cayuga Heights and on Eastwood Avenue in the 1950s
The McElwee construction business, founded by William McElwee, Sr. ca. 1909. was based in Forest Home and built many houses there in the early twentieth century. Sons Andrew and Raymond grew up in the community and entered the business in 1936 and 1946, respectively.
Included in
Forest Home Historic District with USN 10906.000018. To access the Building-Structure Inventory form (sometimes referred to as the "Blue Form"), and from which some of the details above come, including the approximate year built, follow these
Lookup Instructions.