Historic Homes

Colonial

The colonial style architecture started in England and then moved to the English Colonies in the 1720's. This particular home is in the Georgian style which is American Colonial architecture. Homes like this one were built in the Eastern states in the late 18th century. Minnesota did not become a state until the 1850's, the home in the picture was built in the early 1900's.

If you are interested in buying a home like this in St. Paul, we do have homes in this style in all sizes and price ranges.

Craftsman

This very popular style of the early 1900's through the late 1920's comes in many shapes and sizes. the most popular is the bungalow, which is a subset of the craftsman style. Bungalow's are rectangular shaped one and a half story homes with a gabled roof that has a steep pitch.

When you walk into a Craftsman style home there is a sense of space, the openness of the rooms, and the rustic or bold-square styling feel completely different from the Victorian houses still being built into the 1910's. The style wad popularized at the turn of the 20th century by architect and furniture designer Gustav Stickley. He built furniture in a simple plain style, and the craftsman architecture does not have all the ornamentation found in Victorian era homes.

This style features overhanging eaves, a low-slung gabled roof, and wide front porches framed by pedestal-like tapered columns. Material often included stone, rough-hewn wood, and stucco. Many homes have wide front porches across part of the front, supported by columns.

The insides of these homes often have wood cove molding, wood beams on the ceilings, built in buffets, china cabinets, book cases, benches and secretary's. Piano windows, and french doors off of the sun room are common. These homes have a lot of wood work and wood trim. The dark wood work went out of style and in many of these homes it has been painted white or refinished to a lighter color.

They can be found all over the twin cities. In St. Paul they are plentiful in the Mac Groveland and Merriam neighborhoods and on the East Side. The style can be found in new homes being built around the metro and around the country. There are many books, magazines on how to decorate them and catalogs filled with old style hardware and fixtures.

Craftsman

This very popular style of the early 1900's through the late 1920's comes in many shapes and sizes. the most popular is the bungalow, which is a subset of the craftsman style. Bungalow's are rectangular shaped one and a half story homes with a gabled roof that has a steep pitch.

When you walk into a Craftsman style home there is a sense of space, the openness of the rooms, and the rustic or bold-square styling feel completely different from the Victorian houses still being built into the 1910's. The style wad popularized at the turn of the 20th century by architect and furniture designer Gustav Stickley. He built furniture in a simple plain style, and the craftsman architecture does not have all the ornamentation found in Victorian era homes.

This style features overhanging eaves, a low-slung gabled roof, and wide front porches framed by pedestal-like tapered columns. Material often included stone, rough-hewn wood, and stucco. Many homes have wide front porches across part of the front, supported by columns.

The insides of these homes often have wood cove molding, wood beams on the ceilings, built in buffets, china cabinets, book cases, benches and secretary's. Piano windows, and french doors off of the sun room are common. These homes have a lot of wood work and wood trim. The dark wood work went out of style and in many of these homes it has been painted white or refinished to a lighter color.

They can be found all over the twin cities. In St. Paul they are plentiful in the Mac Groveland and Merriam neighborhoods and on the East Side. The style can be found in new homes being built around the metro and around the country. There are many books, magazines on how to decorate them and catalogs filled with old style hardware and fixtures.

Dutch colonial

This home is unusual and looks to have been built in the 1890's.

Federal

1780 - 1880
Common up and down the East Coast, Federal-style architecture dates from the late 1700s and coincided with a reawakening of interest in classical Greek and Roman culture. Builders began to add swags, garlands, elliptical windows, and other decorative details to rectangular Georgian houses. The style that emerged resembles Georgian, but is more delicate and more formal. Many Federal-style homes have an arched window on the second story above the front door. The front door usually has sidelights and a semicircular fanlight. Federal-style homes are often called "Adam" after the English brothers who popularized the style. The Federal (or Federalist) style has its roots in England. Two British brothers named Adam adapted the pragmatic Georgian style, adding swags, garlands, urns, and other delicate details. In the American colonies, homes and public buildings also took on graceful airs.

These can be found in the older neighborhoods in St. Paul and Minneapolis. When I see them they remind me of my trips to the Boston area. The oldest homes of this type in St. Paul are at least 100 years younger than those found in Massachusetts.

Gothic

The Gothic style of architecture dates back to Europe in the 1200's. This home would be an example of Gothic Revival, popular in the U.S. during the mid 1800's.

With Gothic style windows with distinctive pointed arches; exposed framing timbers; and steep, vaulted roofs with cross-gables. Extravagant features may include towers and verandas. Ornate wooden detailing is generously applied as gable, window, and door trim.

The home pictured is located on the 600 block of Summit avenue, is one of my favorites. Gothic style homes can be almost overwhelming they are so ornate, but this one is a bit simpler and has examples of all of the details that can be found in elaborate Gothic style homes of the same period.

Greek Revival

This particular home is located in historic Irvine park just outside of downtown St. Paul on the Mississippi River bluff. In this part of the country these homes were built in the 1840's and 1850's, they are in most cases pre-victorian. On the inside the style is very simple. six over sash windows are common and I have not seen on of these homes that does not have a front porch. The smaller homes look like farm houses. They do not have the pillars but can be identified by the roof line, wide trim along the roof and around windows and the returns that make the kind of triangular lines on the front.

Italianate

Found in the older parts of St. Paul near downtown built in the 1870's to 1890's IDENTIFYING FEATURES: 2 or 3 stories, rarely 1 story; low-pitched roof, widely overhanging eaves; large, decorative brackets beneath eaves; tall, narrow windows (most often on commercial buildings), commonly arched or curved above; some with square cupola or tower (campanile), elaborate wrap-around porch (or smaller entry porch) with decorative Italianate double columns and other details.

BACKGROUND AND INSPIRATION: Dominated American houses between 1850-1880. Common in expanding towns and cities in Midwest, and still-growing older cities in Northeast. Least common in the South. Very common in San Francisco. Style began in England as part of the picturesque (Romantic) movement: a reaction to formal classical ideas. Emphasized rambling, Italian farmhouses. In U.S., houses followed the informal, rural models of picturesque movement. Modified for use as typical "main street" commercial architecture in Midwest. Popularized by Andrew Jackson Downing, 1840s, 1850s, with Gothic Revival. By 1860s, Italianate overshadowed Gothic Revival as most popular style.

Queen Anne

Queen Anne, a subset of the Victorian style, became an architectural fashion in the 1880s and 1890s. The ornate elements of these homes were made possible by the new technologies of the industrial revolution. Builders began to use mass-produced pre-cut architectural trim in factories to create ornate homes. Examples of this type of architecture can be found in most St. Paul neighborhoods. This particular home is located on Summit avenue in St. Paul Minnesota. These homes are easy to identify, they have steep roofs, towers, decorative shingles. bay windows, porches, and ornamental spindles and brackets.

The Queen Anne style is a favorite of mine. I often wonder how much time and money it takes to keep the exterior of these homes maintained and appreciate the efforts of my neighbors who keep their homes looking like the home in the picture. They may be owned by one individual but are enjoyed by all.

Queen Anne

Queen Anne became an architectural fashion in the 1880s and 1890s. They were built using some parts that could be built in factories. They are very ornate with spindles, and sometimes towers and turrets.

Queen Anne

Queen Anne, a subset of the Victorian style, became an architectural fashion in the 1880s and 1890s. The ornate elements of these homes were made possible by the new technologies of the industrial revolution. Builders began to use mass-produced pre-cut architectural trim in factories to create ornate homes. Examples of this type of architecture can be found in most St. Paul neighborhoods. This particular home is located on Summit avenue in St. Paul Minnesota. These homes are easy to identify, they have steep roofs, towers, decorative shingles. bay windows, porches, and ornamental spindles and brackets.

Ranch

Second Empire

This stunning home is made even more so because of the contrasting colors of the black masard roof and the mostly white exterior.

Popular in the Midwest and Northeast, this Victorian style was fashionable for public buildings during Ulysses S. Grant's presidency, but its elaborate, costly detail fell out of favor in the late 1800s for economic reasons. Second empire homes feature windows, molded cornices, and decorative brackets under the eaves. One subtype sports a rectangular tower at the front and center of the structure.

This style is not as common for local homes as the Queen Anne or the Tudor, and this is the last surviving second empire on Summit avenue, but buildings in the style can be found in and around both downtowns. Another excellent example of the style is the Alexander Ramsey house on Exchange street near downtown St. Paul.

Tudor

This architectural style was popular in the 1920s and 1930s and can be found throughout the metro area. The defining characteristics are half-timbering on bay windows and upper floors, and facades that are dominated by one or more steeply pitched cross gables. Patterned brick or stone walls are common, as are rounded doorways, multi-paned casement windows, and large stone chimneys.

The name Tudor imitates English architecture from the early 16th century, and a much earlier medieval architecture.

I have had buyers over the years specifically request this style of home. On the inside they often have cove ceilings, rounded doorways, exposed wood beams on the ceilings, built in book cases and plenty of woodwork. I have not seen one without a fireplace, a large dining room and bay windows in at least one room. The steep roofs make for some interesting attic rooms.

These homes are more plentiful in Highland Park, part of West St. Paul and in Minneapolis.