Home, church, and theatre is the history in brief of the Shankland Home. It was originally built on the east side of Fayette park, the Park Avenue of 1840 Syracuse, in 1837 by a Mr. Outwater who sold it in 1852 to Judge Willim H. Shankland. Born in 1811, Judge Shankland was a powerful figure of the old days being an organizer of the Merchants National Bank, the district attorney of Cortland County and one time justice of the State Supreme Court.

From Fayette and South Townsend Streets the building was moved to East Fayette Street where it became a neighbor of the Babcock house and where it stood until recently torn down. The Greek temple form has now become a part of everyday life. There is such an ease and naturalness of character in the manner that classic forms have here been used that this is a perfect exarnple of the Greek Revival achieved in this vicinity and so typical that an architectural discussion is almost unnecessary.

There are two unusual features which, although of a minor aspect, cannot be overlooked. Of major interest are the bases supplied for the Doric colurins. Such a feature was to my knowledge never advocated by any of the early architectural writers nor was it ever used by the Greek themselves. We must consider the possibility however, that in moving to new foundations, the addition of height might have been necessary. The dental moulding, generally reserved for the Ionic order and usually placed higher on the entablature, is another feature to be observed. The side wing may or may not be original. Certainly its roof line, enlarged to auditorium size, is not.