EARLY AMERICAN/COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE

Location: United States

Time Period: 1680 - 1776

Common types of buildings:

Homes: A dwelling place of a family.

Notable buildings: Stanley Whitman House, George Read II House

Significant idea: Symmetrical; Fireplace focal point.

Common media: Wood, Brick, Stone, Shingles

Distinguishing Features:

Cape Cod: This style of home is one of the earliest homes built by American Colonists and it is still popular today. The house is usually small, symmetrical, with a central entrance. It has a steep, shingled gable roof with a central chimney. The exterior is usually of white clapboard, shingles, or brick. Double hung windows are common and are adorned with shutters. A classic, white picket fence completes this style.

Saltbox: This style of home evolved when a lean-to shed was added to the rear of the house. This type of house resembles the saltbox found in old general stores; therefore the name. The house is square or rectangular with a steep roof that extends to the first floor at the rear of the house. There is a large central chimney. The exterior of the house is often clapboard or wood shingles. Large double hung windows with small glass panes are common as well as the use of shutters. The front entrance is usually simple There are no windows above the first floor in the rear.

Georgian: This style of home is large and formal with 2 or 3 stories. It is rectangular and symmetrically balanced. It has a Greek influenced center entrance usually with a Palladian style window over the door and Greek columns on either side. There are usually two chimneys; one on each end. The exterior is often brick with corner accents of stone. The double hung windows do not usually have shutters.

The Stanley Whitman House in Farmington, Connecticut was built in 1760 and is an example of the Salt Box style of home. Note the simple entrance, lack of shutters, the lean-to addition in the rear, and the central chimney common of the Saltbox.

http://www.takus.com/architecture/colonial.html

The George Read II House, an Early American home in Delaware.

Take note of the Palladian style window above the entrance.

http://www.cupola.com/images/bldgstru/colonial/read01.jpg

A Georgian home on Brattle Street in Cambridge, Mass., built in 1760.

The Greek influence can be seen in the entranceway of the façade.

http://www.takus.com/architecture/georgian.html

Cape Cod Style Home

http://www.realtormag.com/rmomag.nsf/pages/arch4?OpenDocument

Early Cape Cod Style House

http://www.pilgrimhall.org/cchouse.htm

A Georgian style doorway of the Corbit-Sharp House of Odessa, Delaware built in 1774. Take note of the Greek influenced pediment above the doorway and the columns to either side. The exterior of the house is brick, which was a common media.

http://www.cupola.com/images/bldgstru/misc/corbit01.jpg