HISTORY. The Tobey House is located approximately one-quarter mile
east-southeast of the main house on Green Spring Farm. It was built in
1954 as a residence for Mrs. Charles W. Tobey, the mother of Mrs.
Michael Straight and widow of the late distinguished United States
Senator from New Hampshire. Prior to that time, Mrs. Tobey had resided
part of the time in Washington and part of the time in Concord, New
Hampshire, where she owned a spacious, gabled New England mansion
built about 1750. In order for her to be nearer her daughter and
grandchildren, arrangements were made by Michael Straight to have a
small, modern, open-design house built for Mrs. Tobey on Green Spring
Farm.[98]
Architectural plans were completed in the fall of 1953, and
construction was completed in 1954. Here Mrs. Tobey lived with her
housekeeper, Miss Frances McFall, from 1954 to 1968.[99]
The house originally was comprised of a living-dining room, kitchen,
two bedrooms, bath, and utility (heater) room. In 1957, however, it
was expanded by the addition of another living room, bathroom, and
utility room. At this time, also, the carport was relocated, and
terraces were created on the east and west sides of the house. The
result was to enlarge the living space within the house and to create
an arrangement whereby a living room, bath, and utility room could be
partitioned off (by a folding door) to make a guest suite. The
addition of the semienclosed areas adjacent to the house, with their
flagstone terraces and fountain pool, made for the enjoyment of
outdoor activities.
Inside the house, the design and decor encouraged the feeling of
closeness to the outdoors by the location of window space and the use
of floor-to-ceiling glass walls at points where the landscaped
surroundings of the house could be seen from the inside; and paneled
walls provided a neutral yet sympathetic background for many fine
pieces of antique furniture and other artifacts which Mrs. Tobey
brought from New Hampshire. Also, use of horizontal ship-lap siding
for the exterior gives a suggestion of New England clapboards.
Following her residence in the house from 1954 to 1968, Mrs. Tobey
moved to Washington, D.C., and the house was occupied by tenants.
[Illustration: Figure 15. Tobey House Floor Plans, 1957]
[Illustration: First Section, 1954]
GENERAL SETTING AND SITE OF THE HOUSE. Located in the southeast corner
of Green Spring Farm, the Tobey House enjoys a setting of generally
open, slightly rolling countryside.[100] This setting is preserved on
the land which comprises the farm. Beyond these limits, however, the
neighborhood of the farm has experienced a rapid and drastic
transition in the 1950's and 1960's. As a result, its predominantly
rural character has been largely replaced by tracts of subdivisions
composed of single-family dwellings on lots ranging from one-fifth to
one-half acre of land. At the same time, the Little River Turnpike
(Route 236) has attracted extensive roadside commercial development,
resulting in increased highway traffic generated by the intensified
density of land use. This has accentuated the importance of the farm's
buffer space in preserving the tranquility and natural beauty which
the owner and architect sought for the Tobey House.
The site of the house is set back from the Little River Turnpike
approximately one-eighth mile and is connected with the pike by its
own driveway. The driveway approaches the house from the southwest
where the view first is of the carport and the 1957 addition. The
immediate vicinity of the house has been left relatively open to
provide a feeling of spaciousness when viewed from inside the house.
Landscaped trees and shrubs located around the house preserve this
feeling of an open natural setting while providing cover for the house
and terraces.
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN. Since it was Mrs. Tobey's desire to enjoy the
site as well as the house, the general design of the house contains
features specifically aimed to permit this. On the east side, the
flagstone terrace and fountain pool are partially covered by the
overhang of the flat roof and a trellis. On the west side of the
house, a covered flagstone walkway from house to the carport runs
between a hedge and fence on one side and a small courtyard with
flower beds and trees on the other. In the living room added in 1957,
the only opening is a large picture window set in a bay which contains
a planter box with living plants.
Architecturally, the house is of particular interest because its basic
objective of facilitating an indoor-outdoor style of living is
achieved with simple, open lines and harmonious materials.[101] Set
upon a concrete slab, the wooden walls of the house are overlaid with
wooden beams placed so as to intersect and create the appearance of
squares and rectangular modules on the ceiling. A flat wooden deck
roof rests on these beams. No prefabricated units were utilized in the
construction of the house, and all pieces were individually specified,
cut, and fitted together.
The architect for the Tobey House was David Condon, AIA, of Keyes,
Lethbridge & Condon, Washington, D.C. The landscape architect was Eric
Paepcke of Washington, D.C. Interior design was done by Top Recker and
Patricia Holsaert. Construction was performed by Hayes Brothers of
Herndon, Virginia (figures 14 and 15).
EXTERIOR FEATURES. The overall dimensions of the house are 70 by 25
feet; the carport measures 11 by 21 feet. Exterior walls are gray
stained cypress, laid on horizontally in ship-lap style, with white
trim. Full-length glass panels serve as walls in the section of the
house called "the gallery," facing the terrace on the east side of the
house.
The fountain pool in the east side terrace measures 6 by 13 feet. The
pool water does not recirculate but is piped from the house water
supply and can be controlled by a faucet.
ENCLOSURES. A wooden post and rail ranch fence encloses the field
where the house is located.
LANDSCAPING. Pine and plane trees are planted for shade near the house
and screening from the highway on the west side. Wisteria is planted
for the trellis over the terrace on the west side of the house to
shield it from the afternoon sun. In the immediate vicinity of the
house, vinca minor (periwinkle) is used as ground cover.
INTERIOR FEATURES. The Tobey House contains 2,062 square feet of floor
space.
Room arrangements for the original structure and following the
addition in 1957 are shown in figure 15.
Interior walls are of vertical cypress paneling, and floors are wooden
parquet. Ceilings have exposed beam and plank construction.
Interior features when Mrs. Tobey was in residence included wood
carvings from a Scandinavian sailing ship salvaged when it sank off
the New England Coast.
Woodburning fireplaces are located in the living room of the original
portion of the house (now used as a study) and the living room of the
1957 addition.
The house is centrally heated with radiant heat from the floor. No
central air conditioning was provided in the original portion; but,
when the addition was built in 1957, central air conditioning was
provided for it and ducts were extended into the living room of the
original portion. Window air-conditioning units were installed in the
bedrooms.