Colonial Architecture in the United States
Four common architectural styles in New England, and a couple more
The unique nature of colonial homes vividly illustrates the colonial and immigration history of the United States. The prevalent architectural styles and construction techniques of Europe were carried to the New World by the first European settlers. They were first inspired by late medieval art since their native countries had not yet embraced the new classicism of the Renaissance.
The Netherlands quickly lost their colonies to England, and the centers of French and Spanish colonization were located elsewhere, thus homes in the styles of the Netherlands, France, and Spain remained uncommon in our part of the New World. In contrast, the English colonies on the eastern seaboard, which were doing well, started to bring in Georgian architecture from Europe in the early 1700s. This style, which was based on the Renaissance, dominated these colonies for almost a century until it was replaced by the similar English Federal style at the same time that the American Revolution ended British rule.
Still, construction methods from the Old World were used by each of these colonies long after European rule had ended. While authentic Colonial homes are hard to come by, they are instantly recognizable because of their frequent replication in subsequent architectural revivals, which began with the Centennial celebrations in 1876.
Colonial style of home is still considered among the most popular, particularly in New England and the northeastern United States.
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The 6 types of colonial architecture in the United States between 1600-1900:
1. Postmedieval English Architecture
1607-1700
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From the time of their inception (1607-1620) until roughly 1700, this was the most common building style.
Post-medieval architecture is often an eclectic mix of styles and materials, representing traditional British values and local customs. The northern tradition was wooden built, two-storey houses with a central chimney, while the Southern tradition was brick-built one-story houses with two end chimneys. A prominent subtype of this style is the saltbox colonial.
Read more about the characteristics of this style
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Old Parsonage, Newington, New Hampshire
Illustration by Great Homes Art
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2. Georgian Colonial Architecture
English-Greek-Roman-Italian, 1700-1780
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Drawing inspiration from the ancient architecture of Greece and Rome as these were revived in Renaissance architecture, the Georgian style is widely varied yet characterized by symmetry and proportion.
The typical Georgian home is a simple one- or two-story box with two rooms deep and perfect symmetry. This was the most popular style in the British colonies from 1700 to about 1780. After the Revolution and gaining independence, the country began to develop new building styles.
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Read more about this architectural style
Windsor, Connecticut, built in 1767
Illustration by Great Homes Art
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3. Federal Colonial Architecture
English-Greek-Roman, 1780-1820
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The federal style (sometimes referred to as the Adam style) was a refinement and expansion of the previous Georgian style. It was inspired by ancient Greek and Roman architecture in and of itself, rather than as portrayed by Renaissance architecture in Italy (which was the direct inspiration to the Georgian style). It was the predominant style in the fledgling United States from 1780 and 1820, during which time the population increased from 3 to 10 million.
Similar to the Georgian style, the typical Federal home consists of a square or rectangular building with two or more rooms inside and symmetrically placed doors and windows. But, unlike Georgian homes, the box may be altered by projecting wings or connected dependencies. In fact, the design is likely best recognized for ornate, unconventional, high-style specimens with curved or polygonal extensions to the side or back. In most Federal homes, the front entrance and fanlight are the only external embellishments, which often includes an entry porch.
Read more about this architectural style
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Windsor, Connecticut, built in 1817
Illustration by Great Homes Art
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4. Dutch Colonial Architecture
1625-1840
Dutch colonists in what will become the United States, developed this style of building, starting in around 1625 and for about fifty years, until the English colonies took over and the Dutch building traditions began to fade out.
The Dutch colonial style kept evolving, starting with no more than one-and-a-half stories tall cottages, transforming into linear-plan homes with straight-edged gables, and until the adoption of the gambrel roof, with the addition of overhangs on the front and rear. Along with the distinctive side-gabled flared roof, a double door and brick construction were also typical.
A colonial revival movement emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a reaction to the fast industrialization brought on by the Industrial Revolution. The modern versions of Dutch Colonials that were built then are more accurately referred to as Dutch Colonial Revival.
Read more about this architectural style
Barrington, Rhode Island, built in 1910
Illustration by Great Homes Art
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* The following two architectural styles aren’t common in the New England area:
5. French Colonial Architecture
1700-1860
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Early French Colonial homes, like its English and Dutch equivalents of the 17th century, featured very high, steeply pitched roofs in order to drain water. This was in keeping with the Medieval practice of building thatched roofs at a very steep pitch.
Most English homes face inward, with the hallways and stairwells serving as the primary points of entry to the rooms rather than the outside doors. French homes however, often face the outside rather than the inside; each room often has its own external entryway, and the staircases are frequently located on porches rather than within the building.
It has been argued that the few hundred French Colonial homes that still stand in the United States today are the rarest and least recognized of all the country's architectural treasures. Similar English homes on the eastern shore are well-known landmarks, while there are just a handful of such french dwellings.
Read more about this architectural style
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6. Spanish Colonial Architecture
1600-1900
Typical examples of Spanish Colonial architecture may be found throughout the Southwestern United States, particularly in Arizona, New Mexico, and Florida. Their introduction into North America architecture may be traced back to the 1600s, when Spanish colonists started establishing permanent settlements there. The Spanish colonists took advantage of the similar climates to their homeland and continued building homes in the traditional style they had brought with them. These homes typically featured adobe walls finished with stucco, and clay tiles for the roof. The era of Spanish colonial rule in the Americas came to an end around the middle of the nineteenth century, but the style it imported to the continent endured. In the 20th century, the Colonial Revival movement swept up the Spanish Colonial style, inspiring many architects and builders to use adobe and clay bricks for aesthetic reasons instead of out of practical reasons.
Identifying features:
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One story (less commonly two stories)
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Low-pitched or flat roof made with red, clay tiles
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Thick masonry walls of adobe brick or rubble stone, usually covered with protective stucco
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Multiple external doors
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A few relatively small windows, protected by wooden or iron bars instead of glass.
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