German immigrants Henry Tripp and his wife Johanna were the first known owners of this home, which they occupied by 1910. Henry was in the cement contracting business, but he and Johanna also maintained a lucrative cottage industry breeding poultry. They acquired the parcel west of their home, razed the house that stood on it, and expanded their poultry business by converting existing outbuildings into poultry houses. Their prize-winning Blue Jacket Barred Plymouth Rock chickens were then the world’s most popular breed. With the home as their business headquarters, the Tripps sold stock and eggs for hatching. The home’s architectural details reflect a variety of eclectic styles popular during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Its low-profile hipped roof and overhanging eaves are characteristic of both Prairie and Craftsman styling, while exposed rafter ends and details in the porch railing are more typical of the latter style. In contrast, the classical porch columns reflect Colonial Revival influences. Brick veneer, applied over a traditional balloon frame, and stone used in the rubble foundation, in window sills, and porch details lend an aspect of Old World solidity to the home.
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