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Architectural Styles

Some years back as part of the update to the Downtown Walking Tours brouchure I developed a presentation to help train Walking Tour volunteer guides. In order to help them talk about architectural styles I spoke and presented materials to assist them in identifying key traits and features, understanding materials and the evolution of building methods that accompanied or drove changes, and identifying economic and social forces that influenced the change in styles.

Much of my understanding and research was based on the seminal book "A Field Guide to American Houses" by Virginia and Lee McAlester. (http://virginiamcalester.com/)

Above is a graphic I developed as part of the presentation to show the primary duration of these styles, the era in which they fell, and the overlap or combination houses often featured. Below are photos of houses which demonstrate some of the various style.

1700 Colonial - Post Medieval


1760 Colonial - Georgian


1800 Colonial - Adams


1840 Romantic - Greek Revival


1860 Romantic - Gothic Revival


1865 Romantic - Italianate


1870 Victorian - Second Empire


1900 Eclectic - Colonial Revival


1925 Eclectic - Tudor


1930 Eclectic - Spanish Revival


1935 Eclectic - Dutch Colonial


1940 Modern - International


1950 Modern - Ranch


1955 Modern - Split Level




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