The cottage at 20 Whittier was built in 1906 by Henrietta Ord Jones, who co-founded of the Bird, Tree and Garden Club in 1913.  The BTG (then simply the Bird and Tree Club) held its first meetings in the upstairs “loggia,” an architectural element Henrietta had seen and remembered from trips to Italy. Originally, there was no glass in the loggia windows, and rain was kept out by awnings. The floor of the loggia is still the original painted canvas.  As an artist and an instructor of ceramics and fine arts, Henrietta also used the loggia as her studio.

 

Despite its age, the Craftsman style home has not been substantially renovated. The windows, doors, and floors of the house are entirely original and the interior walls of the house are the original pine bead board, some of which are painted and some of which still have the original varnish. Early photos of the home show that the lower level northern rooms were added later, presumably as a “maid’s quarters." Up until that time there was no kitchen in the home; meals were taken in Chautauqua’s common dining halls or the Athenaeum.  

 

The loggia pop-up is referred to as “Airplane Style,” although this one is larger than most “cockpits," The loggia room feels very much like a tree-house and is a popular spot for an afternoon nap with its nice breezes and views.

The current owners, the Clark family of Atlanta, were charmed by the the many and varied roof lines and eaves of the house, the rambling and quirky floorplan, and the not-so-level floors, which all speak to the house’s primary purpose and history - a family summer gathering place.