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The sweep of the roof over the deep porch of this summer retreat is a variant of a vernacular seventeenth-century house form turned back to front. The expanse of roof, which completely shelters the broad, dark, shingled mass of the house, is interrupted by dormers, of which some are large enough to bring early cross gables to mind. Even the swelling porch posts seem inspired by the gunstock posts of timber framing. The owner had a distinguished political career, mostly before he became a summer resident of Jamestown, as mayor of St. Louis, governor of Missouri, secretary of the interior, and ambassador to Russia.