Why does the loss of the Culver House matter so much? Because I hope I’ve conveyed over the years just how rare examples of the residential fabric of Grand Center are, preserving the historical record of the neighborhood that grew up in the years after the Civil War.

The Charles Gordon Knox House is just one example. It was once just one of hundreds, if not thousands of upper middle class houses that represented a broad swath of styles, from the Italianate, Second Empire, Romanesque Revival and associated styles. It is located at 3617 Grandel Square, formerly Delmar Avenue.

Knox was vice-president of the National Stockyards, graduated from Philips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, and attended Second Presbyterian Church. His house is an interesting mix of styles, with Romanesque tendencies and inventive use of slate tiles and bronze elements.