Prelude: Many months ago I wrote a story about The Architect's Alphabet and featured the letter "A" to begin my series of stories. Well, I sort of forgot about my Architect's Alphabet until a few days ago. So, I plan to add a new letter on a more regular basis...hopefully!
It was an ordinary day. Driving the streets of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania searching for homes and businesses that illustrate the architectural letter "B" which stands for either bay or bow windows. Both bay and bow windows project beyond the the face of the building, be it on a house in the city or county or a business in or around the city of Lancaster. Bay and bow windows date back to the early 17th century with Great Britain claiming credit for their architectural style. The main reason they were developed in the first place was to give better views of the outdoors.....indoor without having to venture outside. To be classified as a bay or bow window, the window must touch, or appear to touch, the ground and be supported by the foundation. If the window is suspended above the ground it is known as an oriel window. The biggest difference between a bay and a bow window is visual. A bow window consists of four or more tall and segmented window panels with the middle panels being set parallel to the building plane. The panels that sit on either side of the main window panel are usually set parallel to the building plane. A bay or box window can increase daylight by 40%. Residential properties use the bay and bow windows to expand views and window appeal. Check out the following photographs to see what a home or business with bay or bow windows might look like. Perhaps your home has windows such as this and you aren't aware of what they might be called. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
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| A Second-Empire style building on North Duke St. which featured a three-story bay window. |
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| The 1906 J. Calvin Shutte residence on Marietta Ave. is an example of Edwardian Eclecticism which features features two-story bay windows with crenellations. |
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| This is the Chateauesque-style Elmer Stiegerwalt Mansion on West Chestnut Street on the West side of Lancaster. It also happened to be the home of my Uncle Paul and Aunt Doris at one time. It has a two-story brick bay window.  P. Harry Wohlsen and had a two-story box bay window with multiple panes on the right. |
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