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Writer's pictureYen Ho

The Windermere Farm- Ambler, PA

Updated: Sep 16, 2021

This is a great example of unique architecture in Whitpain Township. According to the Pennsylvania Historic Resource Survey Form, it's a Dutch Colonial Revival building, and it was originally built in 1700. It's easy to tell it's Dutch Colonial Revival based on the roof structure. I think that's the most noticeable feature of the home. Overtime the stone structure building was covered in stucco. Looking closely at the photograph, it has a bay window.


Based on McAlester's A Field Guilde to American Houses, the principle subtype of this house is a "Rural Tradition- Unflared Eaves- Dutch building traditions persisted far longer in rural areas. Brick, the preferred Dutch building material, was replaced by coursed stone in most rural houses. The shaping and finish of the stonework became increasingly refined as colonial inhabitants grew more affluent during the 18th century. Early rural examples has side-gabled roofs and little or no eave overhang. After about 1750 gambrel roofs became common in this type." (169)


Dutch Colonial architecture was common from 1625 to about 1840. It's more common in New York than in Pennsylvania, and it makes sense because most of the Dutch settlers came from New York.


Theory: The first people who lived in this house, were possibly Dutch when moving to PA.


Associated with the house was the barn, that is still standing today, which is great.


It's unknown who was the earliest owner of this property, but from the earliest map I found in 1871, the name "Chas Schlater" appeared on the same spot as the Windermere Farm. "Chas" is seen a couple of times on this 1871 map. I found out that "Chas" stood for "Charles." Just like "Wm" stood for "William," "Jos" stood for "Joseph," and so on.


After finding out his name, I began looking at the 1850 census data and Find A Grave to find his name, but there was nothing. I found the name through Ancestry, and there were a couple of results. My bet was Charles Schlater was probably born in 1826 based on the results, and based on my past research on other owners in the area. Most of the owners were born around there.


Conclusion:


Dutch Colonial Revival Architecture

  • Built around 18th century

  • Stone structure

  • Gambrel roof

  • Bay window

  • Portico

Owner(s):

  • Charles Schlater (19th century)

  • Daisy B. Hinkle (20th century)

Atlas of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, 1871, Page 031; G.M. Hopkins & Company, Publisher
Atlas of the North Penn Section of Montgomery County, Pa., 1916, Plate 28; A. H. Mueller, Publisher
Google Satellite Plan View: 701 Bulter Ave, Ambler, PA 19002
Google Satellite Birdseye View: Looking East

Bibliography:


"Distance Calculator." DaftLogic. Accessed May 28, 2020. https://www.daftlogic.com/projects-google-maps-distance-calculator.htm.


Hopkins, G.M. Atlas of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Page 031, 1871.


McAlester, Virginia Savage. A Field Guilde to American Houses. (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2017): 169.


Mueller, A. H. Atlas of the North Penn Section of Montgomery County, Pa., Plate 28, 1916.


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