I have always wondered about the design of the house I grew up in on 30th Street. I knew that my great-grandparents built it in 1897, and that it was moved and modified -- they removed most of the first floor porch, added rooms on both the first and second floors, added a flat roof, and stuccoed the wood siding. But what style was used for the original house?
I figured that the free AI tool ChatGPT4 could help me, so I uploaded a photo of the house (from about 1900) and said: Please describe this house in San Diego at the northeast corner of what is now 30th Street and Hawthorn street.
This historic photograph depicts a two-story, wood-frame house at the northeast corner of 30th Street and Hawthorn Street in San Diego, likely taken around 1900. The architectural style is characteristic of late Victorian-era homes found in Southern California at the turn of the century. Here's a detailed description:
House Features
Structure: A two-story rectangular frame house with horizontal wood siding and a hip roof with gabled extensions.
Roof: The roof is steeply pitched, with multiple gables and ornate corner brackets under the eaves.
Windows: The upper-story windows are flat-topped and double-hung, flanked with simple yet elegant trim. Two corner windows are placed at 45-degree angles in small projecting bays.
Veranda: A full-width covered front porch wraps around the left side of the house, supported by slender posts. The porch features decorative spindlework frieze and brackets under the eaves, typical of Queen Anne influences.
Shingles: The upper portion of the first story just below the second-floor windows is clad with fish-scale shingles in a band, providing a decorative break from the horizontal siding.
Address Number: “2105” appears above the porch near the front entrance, confirming the address as 2105 30th Street, which matches the known location of Austin and Della Carringer’s home.
Landscape and Setting
The yard is modest but cultivated, with a small tree or sapling in the foreground and other plantings near the porch—possibly early landscaping attempts typical of newly developed lots in the then-growing neighborhood of North Park.
The house appears newly built or well-kept, suggesting this photo may have been taken not long after the family moved in around 1898.
People in the Photo
Six individuals are standing or seated in front of the house. Based on your earlier information, this may include Austin Carringer, his wife Della (Smith) Carringer, and other family members such as their son Lyle (born 1891), possibly Della’s mother Abbie Smith, and perhaps others like siblings or visiting relatives.
This house played a central role in the Carringer family's life for many decades. Over time, they expanded the home and added apartments, reflecting their deep roots and evolving needs in San Diego’s early suburban development.
Would you like a restored and colorized version of this image or a modern-day comparison of the location?
I said: You got most of it right - the seated lady is Matie (Smith) Chenery, Della's sister, the standing lady is Abbie Smith, and the man on the far left is Harvey Edgar Carringer, Austin's brother. Here is another view of the house with more people. Does it change the house description?
Thank you for sharing this second, clearer view of the house! This beautifully preserved photo—with more people, a better angle, and improved clarity—offers additional details that confirm and enrich the earlier description. Here's an updated architectural and historical summary of the house and setting:
🏡 Updated Description of the Carringer Home at 2105 30th Street, San Diego (c. 1900)
Architecture
Style: Queen Anne-influenced vernacular Victorian with simplified ornamentation.
Structure: Two stories with a hip roof and projecting gables on each side.
Porch:
Full-width wraparound veranda on the south and west sides (facing Hawthorn and 30th Streets).
Turned posts and decorative spandrels between them—more clearly visible in this photo—enhance the light Victorian touch.
The porch roof is topped with fish-scale shingles in a horizontal band around the house between floors.
Windows:
Symmetrical flat-topped sash windows.
Prominent angled bay windows on both visible upper-story corners, each with decorative corbels underneath.
Roof Detail:
This photo shows a railed widow’s walk or viewing platform at the roof center—likely decorative, but also functional for ventilation or aesthetics.
A roof-mounted finial or lightning rod is visible, indicating both style and utility.
Lot and Landscaping
More of the corner lot is visible, with:
A formal front garden of shrubs, flowers, and neatly laid-out vegetable beds.
Young fruit trees or ornamental trees, possibly fig or citrus, common in early 20th-century San Diego.
The garden is bordered by a wire fence with wooden posts, enclosing the domestic landscape.
A horse-drawn buggy is parked to the left, affirming the rural character of the area at the time.
👨👩👧👦 Family Members in the Photo
Thanks to your information and the clearer image, we can identify several individuals:
H.A. Carringer (Henry Austin), likely the man front and center in the suit.
Della (Smith) Carringer, possibly to his right or on the porch.
Abbie (Vaux) Smith, Della's mother, standing upright near the porch, older in appearance.
Matie (Smith) Chenery, Della’s sister, may be seated or closer to the left.
Lyle Carringer, the young boy born in 1891, likely the child with the woman near the buggy.
Harvey Edgar Carringer, Austin’s brother, might again be near the foliage or to the far right.
Others: Could include neighbors, extended relatives, or family friends.
🏙️ Context
This house was built in 1898 by Austin Carringer and became the longtime residence of the Carringer family in San Diego’s Brooklyn Heights (now part of North Park or Golden Hill) area. It stood at what is now 2105 30th Street, facing west toward downtown and the bay.
The home was later remodeled and moved slightly on the lot in the 1920s to accommodate additional apartments at 2115 and 2119 30th Street.
Would you like a digitally restored or colorized version of either image? I can also create a modern re-imagining or overlay this house onto a current map for historical comparison.
I said: I would love a colorized version of each image if you can do that. If you can do only one, pelase do the second image.
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