William Dobbin House & Carriage Barn

141 West Avenue, Fairport NY 14450

In 2012, the Fairport Historic Preservation Commission (FHPC) designated the home and carriage house located at 141 West Avenue in the village of Fairport. The house built in 1875 by William H. Dobbin is a fine example of a cross gable form in the Italianate style. The property has a large and elaborate carriage house with features that are both Italianate and Gothic Revival.

William H. Dobbin

William H. Dobbin was a builder and carpenter who moved to the area in 1866. He had a successful business in the manufacture of sash, doors and blinds. This innovation allowed for uniformed stock of doors and sashes. Dobbin partnered with Clarence C. Moore in 1879 to form the firm of Dobbin & Moore. They were in business for 24 years. The lumberyard was located along the canal on the south side between Main and Parker Streets.

Mr. Dobbin an active member of Fairport society, was one of the most extensive dealers in real estate in Fairport and engaged in building homes for the working classes, which were sold on easy terms, * "a form of practical philanthropy worthy of wider emulation".

Architectural Style – Italianate & Gothic Revival

The home at 141 West Avenue is an Italianate, a style popular between 1840 and 1885. It has wood clapboard siding, wide overhanging eaves, single and grouped tall narrow windows with crowns. There are two groups of segmentally arched windows with crowns and a set of three (one large, two small) with rounded tops and inverted "u" shape crowns.

The front porch posts have beveled edges, molding, elaborate arch supports and decorative brackets under the eaves. The entrance has tall paired doors with large segmentally arched windows. There is a one story cut-away-bay on the east side with decorative brackets.

The carriage house is a combination of Italianate and Gothic Revival styles. It has board and batten wood siding, a projected centered gable with crossbracing, picket fence patterned trim, a loft door and window in the peak with rounded top and crown. There are two stall windows on the east side and in the gables the same cross bracing and windows. There is a copula on top with louvers, decorative brackets and a weather vane.

Gothic Revival features of the barn are the board and batten wood siding, projected centered gable with crossbracing, and picket fence patterned trim.