Keppel’s Building

Utilitas

The current functions of the Keppel’s building include housing the Candy Factory group, independent groups, studios, and abandoned space.   The building was originally intended to be a hard candy factory under the owner Francis P. Keppel.   The first floor of this candy factory was split between public space and private.  The huge display windows in the front suggest the store area of the building.  The back, with its high ceilings, held large machinery.  It is unclear the original purpose of the upper floors because of the high ceilings, large windows, and open space.  However, the production of candy could have consumed multiple floors, as evident by the sugar residue on some lower ceilings.  Now, the machinery has been replaced by offices and desks.  Only the first two floors remain in use.

Firmitas

The building’s structure follows the trabeated construction pattern, which is evident by looking windows and doorways.  The inside also follows the pattern, with large wooden pillars connecting to the ceiling.  The façade of the building was constructed with ashlar limestone.  The large vertical spacing between upper story windows can suggest where structural support lies beneath the ornamentation.

Venustas

The Keppel Building is designed in the Beaux-Arts style.  This C. Emlem Urban building follows the architect’s trend to neo-classicism in his later years.  The building stands out from the surrounding brick buildings with its beautiful masonry.  At the same time, the standard and formal plan connects with others in downtown Lancaster buildings.  The decorated keystones (above doorways), symmetry, hierarchy of space, sculptural decoration, and modern lines, are all examples of Beaux-Arts features.

North Market Street 30

30 –  North Market Street

The present Central Market building was designed by James Warner in 1889.  The Romanesque Revival building features magnificent brick and stone work.  The 1886 maps of downtown reveal two separate buildings where the current Central Market stands.  The function was still meant to be an open space where farmers and others could sell their produce and crafts.  Since then, there  has been almost no structural changes to the building itself.

Venustas of Central Market

The venustas starts with the complicated roof design.  The horizontal hipped roof includes two cross gabled intersected rooftops.  The two main entrances are covered with this gable roof concept .  On the North Market Street side, the dormer windows are set out of the roof in an attempt to allow more light to pass through.  The mixture of trabeated and arcuated systems allows this Romanesque Revival building to serve multiple functions.  The tower serves as a land marker for downtown Lancaster.  The recessed arches set up the three entrances on the N. Market St. side.  This surface allows a sense of the thickness of the brick outer wall.  The varying colored brick  set in common bonds covers the whole facade.  The large scale is need for the functions of the building.  However, the scale is segmented and reduced with the pilasters and raised windows.

Henry Hines Tombstone

Henry Hines, born in 1804, passed away at the young age of 47.  Being so young, I find it hard to believe the tombstone was pre-cut before his death.   Marked on his tombstone shows the date of his death on May 31st (1851).   No Information is found on the local directories and internet about his life.

With an obelisk tombstone, one can only assume Henry Hines was high in social status.  On the left side of the tombstone marks the passing of  his wife Elizabeth in 1895.  On the right hand side shows another assumed family member named Margaret who died in 1851 (in her 72nd year).