13 Decatur Street

This two-story, cross gable house sits on the south side of Decatur Street near Intervale Avenue.  The house features one-over-one, double hung sash windows, aluminum siding, balloon frame construction, stone foundation, asphalt shingle roof with raking eaves and a small, central chimney.  There are two entrances on the left side of the front facade, accessible via a front porch which curves from the front around to the easterly facade.  A two-story bay window protrudes from the right side of the front facade.  There is a small dormer on the easterly facade, and there is one rear addition.  The house was originally a vernacular Italianate, as can be seen in the brackets and dentils in the eaves.

The Italianate style was popular in the 1870s, indicating this structure is most likely from that time period.  The raking eaves, stone foundation and small, central chimney are indicative of the 1870s, whereas the windows and asphalt shingle roof are most likely replacements.  

The porch and the bay window appear on the 1894 map.  The curvature of the porch with its turned posts and the bay window seem to represent a Queen Anne update for the house.  Many houses in the area were updating to the Queen Anne style during the latter part of the 19th Century.  The rear addition appears already on the 1877 Birds-Eye Map. 

Joseph E. Painchaud was most likely the first inhabitant, in 1875.¹  Joseph worked as a metallic embosser and glazier, first with A.G. Lucas and Son on Champlain Street and later with J.R. Booth at 148 Lake Street.²  The Painchaud family remained at this dwelling until around 1904.³  Meanwhile, other boarders stayed, including Joseph Brault, who worked for A. Blythe, and was listed at this address in 1881-83, and Rosario Champagne, a tailor, who boarded here in 1901.⁴ 

See house on 1877 Birds-Eye Map