R.A. Fountain’s historic architecture

The R.A. Fountain / Smith-Yelverton buildings are contributing structures to the Town of Fountain’s Historic District. Here’s the official description of these two structures.

6754-6756 (103) E. Wilson – R. A. Fountain Store – c. 1917                           C – Building

            This two-story, brick building is the largest and most decorative commercial building in the district. It features a flat roof concealed behind a corbeled brick parapet with terra cotta coping that steps down toward the rear (north) of the building. There are brick pilasters at the left (west) and right (east) ends of the building as well as three pilasters separating bays centered on the façade. The building is divided into two separate commercial spaces, each two bays wide. The right storefront, sheltered by fabric awnings, features copper-framed storefront windows on brick bulkheads, leaded- and prism-glass transoms, and an inset entrance bay with a beadboard ceiling and double-leaf, one-light, wood doors. The left storefront is sheltered by a flat-roofed, aluminum awning and features replacement, aluminum-framed storefront windows; a full-width transom covered with vertical vinyl sheathing; and a wide, inset angled entrance bay with paired, one-light, aluminum-framed doors with transom. Decorative brickwork above the storefronts includes a denticulated, soldier-course below a corbeled band. At the second-floor level, there are eight wood-sash windows with concrete sills and soldier-course brick frames above a continuous soldier-course band. Windows on the right end of the façade have replacement four-over-one, Craftsman-style sashes, while those on the left end retain original one-over-one sashes. The left elevation, which faces S. Railroad Street, features a paired, sliding window at the center; a window opening enclosed with bricks near the rear of the building; and ghost sign at the front (southwest) corner. The second-floor level features eight one-over-one, wood-sash windows with slightly projecting brick lintels and concrete sills. The building was built c. 1917 as the R. A.  Fountain General Merchandise, after Fountain’s original store burned in 1916. Today, it houses the Fountain Store.

            NC – Structure – Pavilion, 1990s – A gabled shelter with standing-seam metal roof supported by square posts and brackets that mimic the depot.

Note: C = a building that contributes to the Historic Histrict.
NC = non-contributing to that district, which includes only buildings that were at least 50 years old at the time of the Historic District designation, in 2015.

The four-over-one replacement sashes noted in the description were replaced with one-over-one sashes in 2021, restoring the original look of the second floor of the front of the buildings. New windows–frames and sashes–were also milled for four second floor window holes at rear. They had been covered with plywood since before I came along.