1295 Yellowstone (1988)

Renowned Cleveland architect Henry R. R Hamilton built this gracious Tudor in 1925 for his wife, actress Margaret W. Hamilton (the famous 'Wicked Witch of the West"). Among Hamilton's local involvements are the Cuyahoga County Courthouse, numerous Cleveland Heights elementary schools, Kirk Junior High School in East Cleveland, and Bedford High School. Moreover, while a member of the Federal Architectural Bureau, Hamilton supervised construction of the government buildings on Ellis Island.

The Hamilton house was built on a rock foundation in what was originally a quarry in Cleveland Heights. A gracious paneled vestibule and entrance to the dining room are on the first floor. The circular perforations in the cloak closet provide an ingenious way to ventilate musty outdoor gear. Flooring throughout the first and second stories is Appalachian Highland oak. The extensive cabinetry and woodwork evident in the unusual built-in china cupboard in the dining room, the linen closet, and the sliding doors connecting living room to entrance hall and dining room, are African gum wood. This rich auburn wood unifies the rooms and imparts warmth. Other interesting features on the first floor include the telephone turnstile, the graceful cornices in living and dining rooms, and the leaded glass windows in both the dining room and on the landing. Perhaps the most charming example of the African gum wood specified in the plans for this house is the reverse staircase with its rich, smooth newel post and stately ballusters. The upstairs floor plan features a center hall around which are arranged four bedrooms and two full connecting baths. Discover in the center hall one of the brass "speaking tubes," a forerunner of the intercom, that connect each floor, and a very discreet laundry chute. In the master bedroom are examples of the house's original sconces and marble doorsills. In the pink room, is a two hundred year old marble fireplace and the original milk glass light fixture.

Apparent in the design of this house Henry R. P. Hamilton built for his wife is a timeless combination of the practical and the aesthetic: rooms of daily purpose, comfortable size, quality workmanship, and artistic detail.