It’s easy to miss the Gaffney House when you drive down River Road. There’s nothing around it except the Ohio River and a fenced-in field. Despite its isolating locale, the house itself is an important example of 20th-century mannerist design — and it’s currently being restored.
The house was the residence of prominent Louisville architect, James J. Gaffney. He designed and built the three-level home, now listed on the National Register of Historic Places , between 1910 and 1927. He’s also responsible for the design of Waverly Hills Tuberculosis Sanatorium.
Here are few significant design features of the Gaffney House:
- Gibbs Surround — see the blocks that frame of the doors and windows
- A red clay roof that splits an arrangement of pendants decorated with terracotta tiles and brick, each displaying a Mayan-like sun design
- Art glass windows with lily and lotus flower designs
The restoration of the home, which was sold in 2020 for $450,000, is being lead by WorK Architecture + Design and Wilkinson Builders Inc.