224 Bostwick Road, Ithaca

This building is a carriage house, likely built in the late 1880s. During that time, carriage houses, especially ones ornamented with a cupola, were a sign that the farmer had "made it." These were fairly ostentatious buildings (although they were still functional), and the cupola was claimed to provide ventilation for the benefit of the horses. Also note the weather vane, the ornamental gingerbread in the gable peak, and the Gothic Revival-style windows; all very elaborate for an agricultural building. The cupola here was stabilized several years ago, as its weight was causing the roof to fail.

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