- Fire Flag
- Facilities
Raymond Community Home
The Raymond Community Home is located at 301 South Osage Street in Girard. It is a large, beautiful and well kept Victorian home. The home was built by J.E. Raymond in 1893. Under the terms of the will of J.E. Raymond, his widow was given a life estate in the home, and upon her death the home was to become the property of the City of Girard.
The home is administered by representatives from the local Federated Clubs. The home lost some of it's original features when it was remodeled, however, in recent years efforts have been made to restore the home to it's original status.
On June 1, 1893, the Girard Press printed the following description of the new J.E. Raymond, under the title "An Elegant Residence." Excerpts from that 1893 article follow:
"About one year ago, J.E. Raymond, of this city, bought the two lots 50 by 180 feet each, north of George W Crawford's residence property, on the corner of Osage and Buffalo streets, and laid the plans for a palatial home which has no superior in appointments as a residence in Crawford County. Mr. Raymond has become a part of Girard and Crawford County, having made an honorable and successful record in business. It is the proper thing for him to do to spend a portion of his fortune in this city, and the home he is soon to occupy contains every convenience one could wish for, and has features which are beautiful and pleasant to the eye.
The building is 47 by 54 feet in size, with a tower on the northwest corner, and porches 7 by 9 on the northwest, and 8 by 16 on the southwest and 9 by 32 and 9 by 29 on the east and southeast.
A roomy cellar provided with a coal bin, furnace room, and provisions room occupies all the space under the house, being perfectly drained into a 6 inches sewer pipe, which carries off all the waste water from all parts of the house.
On the first floor as you enter from the east porch, you step into the large reception hall, 16 by 22, with tower space and open grate. All woodwork is finished in oil. The door on the west leads to the dining hall and on the south to the parlor. The latter is 15 by 20 feet, and both hall and parlor are warmed by indirect radiation from the hot water pipes in the basement. The dining room is 15 by 22 feet, with elegant wall closet for china on the south, and door leading west to the pantry and kitchen. South of the dining all is the library, 15 by 20 feet, containing handsome mantel and book case. The woodwork in all these rooms is polished and it shines like a mirror, and the different kinds of natural wood make a sight pleasant to the eye. A door on the west of the library leads into a lavatory. The kitchen to the west is 14 by 15 feet, containing sink, hot and cold water, the former being supplied from a large tank in the kitchen, and the latter from a reservoir in the attic.
The pantry north of the kitchen is 7 1/2 by 8 feet with cupboard on full west side, containing every convenience known to man.
There are two stairways leading to the second floor, one from the kitchen and one from the reception hall. The latter is a work of art, and is 8 1/2 feet wide. The first landing is 8 1/2 by 4 feet and is lighted from the north by a cathedral glass window, 6 1/2 by 10 feet.
The second landing brings you into the spacious hall, 8 by 24 feet, on the second floor."
(The second floor is now occupied by the caretakers. The original description follows:)
"In the northeast corner and over the reception hall is a handsome sewing room, 13 1/2 by 15 1/2 feet, lighted by windows from the tower, and containing closet and fire place, and warmed by direct radiation. South of this is the family room, 15 by 17 feet, and closet on west 4 by 9. Still farther west and over the library is a handsome bedroom 15 by 15 feet with bay window 3 1/2 by 9, and artistic fire place. West of this and over the lavatory and kitchen is the bathroom, furnished with hot and cold water, and water closet, all 9 by 10 feet in size. West of the bathroom is the servant's sleeping room, 10 by 10 feet, with speaking tubes connecting it with family room and kitchen. The north bedroom over the dining room is 15 by 18 feet, with bay window, 3 1/2 by 9. All rooms, halls, cellar and attic are wired for electric light and piped for gas. The tower is finished with a balloon roof.
To warm and light such a residence is no small undertaking, and after much study of systems, Mr. Raymond let the contract of heating to Mr. H.E. Hertner, of this city, who has made steam and hot water heating a special study, and the Novelty Hot Water Circulatory system was put in, which is the most economical of all heaters in use, being designed in accordance with natural laws. Several years have been occupied in demonstrating ideas embodied in its construction, with the result that no steam or hot water boiler in existence can compare with it. From it, every room in the house is supplied with healthy heat. The parlor and reception hall are warmed by direct radiation form stacks of pipe placed in the basement and enclosed with galvanized iron jackets, which receive fresh air continually supplied direct from out doors. The balance of the rooms are warmed with direct radiation or radiators, twelve in number, which are highly decorated and bronzed. The amount of material used for this entire heating system is very large, and the numerous pipes used would be equal to 5,674 feet of one-inch steam pipe.
The plans were drawn up by C.W. Terry of Carthage, Missouri; and SE. Drake, formerly of that place, but now of this city, has done a large share of the carpenter work, being a competent and faithful woodworker."
The home is administered by representatives from the local Federated Clubs. The home lost some of it's original features when it was remodeled, however, in recent years efforts have been made to restore the home to it's original status.
History
On June 1, 1893, the Girard Press printed the following description of the new J.E. Raymond, under the title "An Elegant Residence." Excerpts from that 1893 article follow:
"About one year ago, J.E. Raymond, of this city, bought the two lots 50 by 180 feet each, north of George W Crawford's residence property, on the corner of Osage and Buffalo streets, and laid the plans for a palatial home which has no superior in appointments as a residence in Crawford County. Mr. Raymond has become a part of Girard and Crawford County, having made an honorable and successful record in business. It is the proper thing for him to do to spend a portion of his fortune in this city, and the home he is soon to occupy contains every convenience one could wish for, and has features which are beautiful and pleasant to the eye.
The building is 47 by 54 feet in size, with a tower on the northwest corner, and porches 7 by 9 on the northwest, and 8 by 16 on the southwest and 9 by 32 and 9 by 29 on the east and southeast.
A roomy cellar provided with a coal bin, furnace room, and provisions room occupies all the space under the house, being perfectly drained into a 6 inches sewer pipe, which carries off all the waste water from all parts of the house.
On the first floor as you enter from the east porch, you step into the large reception hall, 16 by 22, with tower space and open grate. All woodwork is finished in oil. The door on the west leads to the dining hall and on the south to the parlor. The latter is 15 by 20 feet, and both hall and parlor are warmed by indirect radiation from the hot water pipes in the basement. The dining room is 15 by 22 feet, with elegant wall closet for china on the south, and door leading west to the pantry and kitchen. South of the dining all is the library, 15 by 20 feet, containing handsome mantel and book case. The woodwork in all these rooms is polished and it shines like a mirror, and the different kinds of natural wood make a sight pleasant to the eye. A door on the west of the library leads into a lavatory. The kitchen to the west is 14 by 15 feet, containing sink, hot and cold water, the former being supplied from a large tank in the kitchen, and the latter from a reservoir in the attic.
The pantry north of the kitchen is 7 1/2 by 8 feet with cupboard on full west side, containing every convenience known to man.
There are two stairways leading to the second floor, one from the kitchen and one from the reception hall. The latter is a work of art, and is 8 1/2 feet wide. The first landing is 8 1/2 by 4 feet and is lighted from the north by a cathedral glass window, 6 1/2 by 10 feet.
The second landing brings you into the spacious hall, 8 by 24 feet, on the second floor."
(The second floor is now occupied by the caretakers. The original description follows:)
"In the northeast corner and over the reception hall is a handsome sewing room, 13 1/2 by 15 1/2 feet, lighted by windows from the tower, and containing closet and fire place, and warmed by direct radiation. South of this is the family room, 15 by 17 feet, and closet on west 4 by 9. Still farther west and over the library is a handsome bedroom 15 by 15 feet with bay window 3 1/2 by 9, and artistic fire place. West of this and over the lavatory and kitchen is the bathroom, furnished with hot and cold water, and water closet, all 9 by 10 feet in size. West of the bathroom is the servant's sleeping room, 10 by 10 feet, with speaking tubes connecting it with family room and kitchen. The north bedroom over the dining room is 15 by 18 feet, with bay window, 3 1/2 by 9. All rooms, halls, cellar and attic are wired for electric light and piped for gas. The tower is finished with a balloon roof.
To warm and light such a residence is no small undertaking, and after much study of systems, Mr. Raymond let the contract of heating to Mr. H.E. Hertner, of this city, who has made steam and hot water heating a special study, and the Novelty Hot Water Circulatory system was put in, which is the most economical of all heaters in use, being designed in accordance with natural laws. Several years have been occupied in demonstrating ideas embodied in its construction, with the result that no steam or hot water boiler in existence can compare with it. From it, every room in the house is supplied with healthy heat. The parlor and reception hall are warmed by direct radiation form stacks of pipe placed in the basement and enclosed with galvanized iron jackets, which receive fresh air continually supplied direct from out doors. The balance of the rooms are warmed with direct radiation or radiators, twelve in number, which are highly decorated and bronzed. The amount of material used for this entire heating system is very large, and the numerous pipes used would be equal to 5,674 feet of one-inch steam pipe.
The plans were drawn up by C.W. Terry of Carthage, Missouri; and SE. Drake, formerly of that place, but now of this city, has done a large share of the carpenter work, being a competent and faithful woodworker."