This Old House: Colonial Architecture

People coming to the American colonies built simple houses in styles familiar to them.  In the northern colonies, English traditions resulted in rectangular, two-story houses with steeply pitched roofs with little overhang, clapboard or wood shingle siding, a large central chimneys, and small windows.  Houses in the middle colonies reflected the influence of Dutch settlers in the New York and New Jersey areas. These houses tended to be one story, made of brick or stone, and have gamboled roofs, some with flared eaves.  The houses in the southern colonies shared the English traditions but more likely to be one story with paired end chimneys than their northern counterparts.   Few of these original houses survive.

The centennial exposition in Philadelphia in 1876 revived interest in these early housing styles. Most, however, incorporate elements from the somewhat later Federal style. The colonial revival style remained popular for many years after that. It has been estimated that about 40 percent of houses built during the 1910-1930 period were on this style. The rest of this post will highlight some colonial revival houses which are not included in the Benton County Historical Museum’s This Old House exhibition. 

The Clayton and Lucille Long house, at 303 NW 32^nd Street in Corvallis, is a good example of the colonial revival style.  It too is a rectangular, two-story, wood sided house. Colonial Revival houses, however, do not have the small windows and steep roofs of the original houses. Front doors are given more emphasis in the symmetrical design with the use of slender columns supporting a porch roof and windows about (fan lights) or alongside (sidelights) the front door.

Front door features of the Long house

Cape Cod style houses are similar to Colonial Revival homes but are one story with a dormered roof to create livable space above the main floor.

House at 411 SW 9^th Street, Corvallis, OR

House at 445 NW 9^th Street, Corvallis, OR

Also, many Colonial Revival houses are painted white.  I was surprised to learn that during colonial times either the houses were not painted at all or were painted in earth tones such as ochre, brown or red, but not white

Two variants of colonial houses are Dutch Colonial and the Cape Cod style. The former are easily identified by their gambrel roofs.  I especially like those with flared eaves.   The Hanson house is one example.

The house on 13^th Street near Polk in Corvallis is another.

As you drive around in Corvallis, you can spot a number of others in these styles. 

By Martha Fraundorf, Volunteer for Benton County Historical Society, Philomath, Oregon