Merrimon-Wynne House

The ca. 1875 Merrimon-Wynne House is a lovely example of both the Italianate architectural style and the Eastlake mode of decoration. Elongated windows, upright proportions, and modillions under the broad eave are all hallmarks of the style, popular in Raleigh in the 1870s and 1880s. Eastlake detailing is derived from the Gothic style and became popular upon the publication of English architect Charles Locke Eastlake’s book of furniture and decor. The book came out in the United States in 1872 and was an immediate hit. Characteristic Eastlake details include columns, posts, and piers shaped with chamfered corners or turned profiles and adorned with bold, curvaceous forms like knobs and bosses. Such ornament decorates many Victorian-era dwellings in Raleigh and is particularly seen on porches.

ca. 1875