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Help in identifying architectural style

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WhatsCookin16

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Hi...I'm new to this community, sorry if I posted this in the wrong place.

Anyway, for my Public History class we need to do a Historic Property Survey of a home in the area.

I am having a REALLY hard time figuring out what type of Architectural Style my house is.

It was built in 1928 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. ANY help would be greatly appreciated...

I'm thinking it may be Cape Cod, but I am far from sure. Thank you so much.


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Peace,
Ryan
 
I'd say, minimalist colonial or minimalist traditional. 1928 would make it an extremly early example.

It doesn't seem to carry any paticular style well. It may have been stripped down and/or covered up.

Cape Cods, in their standard appearance are symetrical left and right. Eaves are extremely short and windows tend to be squarer, in my experience.
 
boiker said:
I'd say, minimalist colonial or minimalist traditional. 1928 would make it an extremly early example.

It doesn't seem to carry any paticular style well. It may have been stripped down and/or covered up.

Cape Cods, in their standard appearance are symetrical left and right. Eaves are extremely short and windows tend to be squarer, in my experience.
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OK....I think I may just go with Vernacular :cool:


I think it'll do.....sheesh...thanks for the help!!! I can't seem to ID it with "A Field Guide to American Houses"
 
It looks to me like a very common example of the redex style, but I'd need to see more to affirm that conclusion ;)
 
Moderator note:

(Dan} Moved to Design, Space and Place forum.
 
Gedunker said:
It looks to me like a very common example of the redex style, but I'd need to see more to affirm that conclusion ;)
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Hahah...not sure why the linking didn't work....here you go. Thanks.

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Take care,
Ryan
 
I consulted 500 Small Houses of the Twenties (Smith, H.A., Dover, New York, 1990) and did not find any good matches. A contemporary Sears catalog also failed to provide any ideas. I agree with boiker that it has some early colonial revival influences in its form, but sadly, the synthetic siding has covered up details that could give more clues.

The gutter at the right rear in the top image seems out of place and makes me think there may have been some substantial alteration to the dwelling at some point in its past.
 
I would guess it was Craftsman, remodeled with Colonial Revival intentions. The banks of windows and the small windows on each side of the chimney are Craftsman. If you could find a Sanborn Map from the '30s, you may find a Bungalow style porch. It was at one time one and one-half stories.The vestibule and dormer window (and perhaps the front gable) were added. On the interior, there would have been built-in cabinets on either side of the fireplace--thus the reason the windows are high on the wall. The front door appears to be original, and in the Craftsman style.
 
mike gurnee said:
I would guess it was Craftsman, remodeled with Colonial Revival intentions. The banks of windows and the small windows on each side of the chimney are Craftsman. If you could find a Sanborn Map from the '30s, you may find a Bungalow style porch. It was at one time one and one-half stories.The vestibule and dormer window (and perhaps the front gable) were added. On the interior, there would have been built-in cabinets on either side of the fireplace--thus the reason the windows are high on the wall. The front door appears to be original, and in the Craftsman style.
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I looked at the Sanborn maps, and if I recall, it didn't have a porch.

I am almost positive it was remodeled in the mid to late nineties when the previous owners (who owned it for nearly 50 years) sold it to another family, who lived their for less than a year before moving again...most likely the second family bought it as an investment before reselling it, as the sale price was much more.

In the draft I turned into my Prof. he said he didn't think it was Colonial Revival (which is what I initially thought), and he wrote something about "Residential Vernacular."


I really appreciate all the input...sadly I didn't find this forum sooner, as the assignement is due in less than two hours :-(


Peace,
Ryan
 
So...I just talked with my Prof. and he said that it was probably Residential Vernacular (meaning no clear high style) or Minimal Traditional...

And because that's what he said it was...that's what I'm gonna say too! Haha...


Thanks a lot to everyone!
 
WhatsCookin16 said:
So...I just talked with my Prof. and he said that it was probably Residential Vernacular (meaning no clear high style) or Minimal Traditional...
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I would have first agreed that the style is Minimal Traditional.

But 1928 is a little too early for Minimal Traditional, so maybe Tudor Revival would be more appropriate. Many houses like this, with trademark Tudor entrance gabled pediments, were built during the 1920s and 1930s. This is a bare-bones example, but this basic form was used in more decorative examples that are definately from the Tudor Revival School.

As far as house type, I would classify it as Cape Cod
 
Quite honestly, when I first saw the pictures, I thought of the Levittown houses. Maybe there are some inspiration points from the good ol' pre-fab homes for ther front part of the identified house, but then the back part of the house looks like a massive addition to a Levittown home.
 
From "A field guide to American Houses" it is "minimal traditional" Which mean style is all but gone, and it borrows from various other styles, but in such a way that renders them innocuous.


At my billing rate you now owe me 6 bucks, I will invoice it soon


Trust your Architect
 
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