Sharing a Discovery

When Gossips was inventorying the oriels of Warren Street, the question arose about the period in Hudson history when oriels were all the rage. There's not yet a definitive answer, but there are clues to help establish a time frame.

The "Jane's Walk" study of oriels revealed that the two buildings with oriels in the 100 block of Warren Street—128 and 132—were both built toward the end of the 19th century. The historic markers, placed there by the facade easement program during Urban Renewal, identify the style and date of 128 as "Late Victorian, ca. 1890" and 132 as "Queen Anne, ca. 1895."

128 Warren Street

132 Warren Street

We also know that these four buildings in the 500 block of Warren Street, with their dramatic two-story oriels, were built in 1882.

After studying the oriels on Warren Street, I was finally able to identify the location of this photograph, showing the aftermath of the historic blizzard of 1888. It shows the north side of the 400 block of Warren Street.

The three buildings at the center of the historic picture are 422, 422½, and 424 Warren Street. The picture reveals that these buildings, with their oriels, had already been built in 1888. 

422, 422½, and 424 Warren Street

Missing from the historic photograph are 426, 426½, and 428 Warren Street. Their absence provides evidence that at some time after 1888, the little Greek Revival building in the photograph was demolished, and these buildings, with their trio of oriels, were built.

426, 426½, and 428 Warren Street