Prominent & vibrant Essex Sunburst on Essex Fire Station (Credit: George Davis)
“The Sunburst motif is seen occasionally on Greek revival pediments throughout the Champlain Valley of New York and Vermont, but the frequency of its early use in Essex is notable… One is tempted to speculate that the beautiful sunrises and sunsets […] somehow inspired its early use here.” ~ Essex Community Heritage Organization, “Essex: An Architectural Guide.”
This prominent architectural adornment is one of the most notable features of the Old Essex Firehouse as the sunburst rises in the pediment of the facade. The Old Essex Firehouse‘s central location in the village at the stoplight perfectly displays that symbol to all passersby and is one reason that building and the sunburst is an image that easily comes to mind when one is asked about Essex. This de facto Essex symbol also adorns the pediments of other buildings, windows, gates, railings, and fences. Can you find it in other places?
“One of the remarkable assets of Essex is the adaptation of academic styles into a vernacular form known locally as Essex style, such as the distinctive Sunburst motif… actually derived from the fluted spandrel of the Federal period. Its use in pediment gables of the Greek Revival is an interesting regional development, celebrated today by residents of the town…” ~ David C. Hislop Jr., Essex on Lake Champlain.
Take a look at a variety of sunburst motif’s we found around Essex in the gallery below. I’m sure there are some we’ve missed, so if you find more sunbursts in Essex take a photo and send it to editor[@]www.essexonlakechamplain.com and we’ll add it to the gallery!
(Click an image to see larger.)
Essex Sunburst fanlight (Credit: George Davis)
Essex Sunburst on fence (Credit: George Davis)
Essex Sunburst fanlight in pediment at Blockhouse Farm (Credit: George Davis)
Prominent & vibrant Essex Sunburst on Essex Fire Station (Credit: George Davis)
Essex Sunburst on gazebo (Credit: George Davis)
Essex Sunburst in brick (Credit: George Davis)
Essex Sunburst by chimney (Credit: George Davis)
Essex Sunburst in pediment 2 (Credit: George Davis)
Essex Sunburst in pediment (Credit: George Davis)
Essex Sunburst windows (Credit: George Davis)
Essex Sunburst in blue fence (Credit: George Davis)
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The house on Elm St that used to be owned by Ethel Bernard, now owned by Sarah Disney, has a version of that motif above the back door. I don’t doubt you will find more. Perhaps other home or store owners in the area will also let you know more locations.
The house on Elm St that used to be owned by Ethel Bernard, now owned by Sarah Disney, has a version of that motif above the back door. I don’t doubt you will find more. Perhaps other home or store owners in the area will also let you know more locations.