Khushboo Shah
The outside of the Merchant’s House is very visually appealing and made of expensive materials, suggesting that it must have been owned by someone wealthy. The home’s architectural style, Neoclassicism, was the newest style at the time of its building and refers to ancient Greece and Rome. Professor Linn discussed in the tour that class comes from income, education, occupation, material culture, etc. The clothes and objects you have signal and enable you to become what you want. The Nunns’ piano showed their wealth; if you could play the instrument or sing, you were considered a good catch for marriage. I thought the servants’ quarters and belongings were very interesting. Most of the servants were young Irish girls who were quite poor. Of the very few items they possessed, the rosary was most interesting to me, as it showed their dedication to their religion.
Martin Radwell
The careful design and intentional details of the Tredwell house were indicative of their desired social class. Specific areas of the house, such as the stylish and expensive exterior, done in a style that refers to ancient Greece, modeled the family’s dedication to a materialistic presentation of wealth. Decorative adornments populated the rooms; the family prioritized style over function to flaunt affluence. A mahogany door located in the living room had little purpose beside aesthetics, and the oil chandeliers illuminated rooms for nighttime recreation. In the nineteenth century, property was an expensive and valuable commodity. The high ceilings and large rooms of the Tredwell house are a testament to the family’s prosperity. This spacious uptown residence starkly contrasted with the overcrowded downtown area. Overall, this house was representative of a wealthy demographic intent on asserting their superior social standing. This family used an extravagant and visually appealing house to display their impressive opulence.