The House from the Vale 
“KATE’S HALL” 
THE NEW RESIDENCE OF lOSEPH S. CLARK, ESQ., AT CHESTNUT HILL, PHILADELPHIA 
Designed by C. C. Zantzinger, Architect 
T HE approach is the introduction to a 
house and, being a first impression, is 
not easily brushed from the mind by attrac¬ 
tions later discovered 
in the house itself or 
the completeness of its 
interior arrangements. 
Upon the approach 
largely depends the 
distinguishing air of a 
country seat, and its 
fu 11 part is played 
only with the last turn 
of the avenue when 
the mystery of the hid¬ 
den house is lifted by 
the screens of wall or 
foliage. The situation 
of “ Kate’s Hall,” Mr. 
Clark’s house at Chest¬ 
nut Hill, has made 
possible an approach 
of unusual attractive¬ 
ness. Scarcely should 
we imagine the house 
to lie on the edge of 
a suburb having streets laid out in regular 
squares, for, on leaving the little station 
where the train lands us, the way points to¬ 
ward the fields. Curv¬ 
ing it goes, a private 
avenue, descending 
slightly toward a vale 
on the one hand, on 
the other keeping under 
the shoulder of a hill, 
it terminates in effect 
at the forecourt of 
“Kate’s Hall,” though 
the drive goes further 
on toward the offices 
and stables. 
With no little air of 
majesty the house it¬ 
self commands the vale, 
and lets fail from the 
feet of its terraces a 
fine sweep of upland 
lawn. On either 
boundary of this lap 
of land the view from 
fully half the rooms,— 
TERRACE STEPS 
29 I 
