In the United States, we have greatly progressed throughout the years, from being a small colony, to becoming a global superpower. As we keep progressing into the future, our society should reflect how much we have progressed. For example, technology, medicine, social beliefs, fashion, along with other trends should all change according to the modernization of our society. However, has our style of homes changed at all since the birth of our nation? As different trends take place over the years, homes should also face change to reflect the trends that are taking place. While we may not notice it, the appearance of homes has actually very drastically changed over the years. Much like fashion trends in the U.S never really stay the same or last long, as people change and new trends rise up, old trends will be left in the past and forgotten. This depicts how our style of homes continuously changes as fads pass through the centuries.
Not all homes were built for stylistic purposes only. Before Christopher Columbus landed on what is now North America and charged other Europeans to colonize the Americas, there was already native people living in the Americas. These people, known as Native Americans, lived in different tribes and each of these tribes built their homes to best suit the conditions that they lived under. For example, homes for tribes, in what is now known as Mexico, were better suited for hot weather conditions. While homes for tribes, in what is now known as Canada, were built to resist long periods of winter and subzero temperatures. For that reason, I chose to mainly focus on the Native Americans that were living in the region of today’s East Coast. These Native Americans, that lived in the East Coast, were also some of the first to meet early European settlers. William G. DiNome writes about this particular type of Native American housing in his article ‘American Indians’, “Indian housing typically consisted of lodges made of bark or thatch, at times raised off the ground. Some Indians, including the Cherokee, also built earthen winter homes without windows. Homes were furnished with straw or cane mats, pottery, basketry, and wooden utensils.” (DiNome, 2). This quote helps visualize the way of life for these Native American people, before the invasion of European settlers. Once European Settlers arrived in North America things began to shift to accommodate the new settlers.
The homes of European settlers were heavily influenced by the styles that were most prevalent in Europe at the time. In the 1600s to 1700s this style was known as Post-Medieval English, the houses during this time were built with materials that were easy to find. The homes during this time were also built very simplistic, most of these homes were built in a rectangular shape. Historic New England describes this style in their article, ‘Architectural Style Guide’, [“Built during the first generation of settlement by English colonists, Post-Medieval English (or First Period) architecture owes much of its appearance to building traditions from Europe. It could be argued that houses from this period are without style; they were not designed by architects. Yet several common elements mark these structures and two distinct traditions developed (northern and southern) with corresponding similarities of form and appearance. Each of these traditions took advantage of materials at hand as well as architectural features suited to their respective climates.” (Historic New England, 3).]
This article explains that the houses that were most common during this era were for practical use and not built for aesthetic purposes, since these homes weren’t built by architects, they appeared less aesthetically pleasing. However, these houses were designed to resist the weather conditions that the colonists lived under. The article also mentions that there were differences between the homes that were built in the north and homes built in the south. Northern and southern settlers lived in different climates, therefore, each of these homes were built differently with the purpose to withstand the diverse climates that the settlers lived in. For example, the houses in the north were built around a tall central chimney to keep the entire home warm. Whereas houses in the south also had chineys, but those chimneys were smaller and designed to keep only certain rooms of the house warm. As these colonists were still under England’s control, this style of homes prevailed until the late 1700s, when the colonists began to grow tired of England’s harsh dominance over the colonies.
Once the colonists claimed their independence from England, a new style of homes became a trend in the newly founded United States. This trend was known as Federal or Adam style, this style lasted from the late 1700s to the 1840s. This architectural style developed from americans trying to evolve from traditional English style homes. Bruce Wentworth, an American architect, thoroughly explains how the floor plans and the interior of these homes were designed, “Typically, a Federal style house is a simple square or rectangular box, two or three stories high and two rooms deep. Some Federal styled homes have been made larger, modified with projecting wings, attached dependencies or even both. In some Federal homes and buildings, one can find an elaborate curved or polygonal floor plan” (Wentworth, 4). As explained in the article, these homes expanded upon the original Post-Medieval style. These homes were made with a certain architectural style in mind, unlike Post-Medieval homes, that were built with limited resources and only sought to accommodate to the climate that the colonists lived in. Post-Medieval style was heavily influenced by English homes, however Federal style homes was made to symbolize the rise of a new country. After the revolution, the colonists did not want to associate themselves with England, as told by one of the revolutionaries, John Andrews,
[“ Is it not Paradoxical, That the Frontier and Interior Inhabitants should pay Duties and Taxes impos’d on them by their fellow Provincials, to which they have not given, or had their Assent requir’d? And with what Consistency can our Assembly exercise such Powers . . . when they deny such Authority over themselves to be vested in the British Parliament?” (Smithsonian Source, 1).]
This excerpt, originating from a letter written by the colonist, John Andrews, explains his feelings towards the famous statement ‘Taxation without representation’. Andrews states in his letter that the British still consider the colonists as British citizens, but their voice is not respected in parliament, this unjust action irritated the colonists. This quote shows how the colonists began to hate how the British treated them. To this extent, the colonists changing their architectural style is one of the many ways that the colonists began to show their independence from England. After the revolution, the United States began to change and grow as a sovereign country. As the United States began to grow from 13 small colonies, to a larger country, the population began to grow as well.
During the Mid-1800s, Americans began to move west for better opportunities and begin new lives in the west. In a letter written by William Swain, he explains his new and better life in California during the gold rush, [“You may think from the tenor of this letter that I am sick of my job, but not so. I have not seen the hour yet when I regretted starting for California, nor have any one of our little party ever regretted that we undertook the enterprise. I have seen hard times, face the dangers of disease and exposure and perils of all kinds, but I count them as nothing if they enable me to place myself and family in comfortable circumstances.”(Swain, 24).]
This letter was written to Swain’s Father, George Swain, about his experiences in California. Swain explains that he doesn’t regret the new life he’s begun in California, even though he’s faced many difficulties, it is necessary so that him and his family can live comfortably once his hard work pays off. Letters like these, spread the word that there was better opportunities for the settlers in the west and this led many settlers to move west. This movement caused new architectural styles to arise, such as a new style known as Greek Revival style. This style is described on the website Architectural styles of America and Europe, in their article, ‘Greek Revival’,
[“Considered to be a subset of the larger Neoclassical period, Greek Revival became the dominant style in America between especially 1820-1850. It was consequently referred to as the “national style” due to its popularity. Further west, simplified versions of the style have been dubbed as the “Territorial style” in early Western towns, such as Santa Fe, NM or Tombstone, AZ. The style diffused westward with settlers (especially New Englanders, across upstate New York), and is considered to have been the first American architectural style to reach the American West Coast.”(Greek Revival, 3).]
This passage explains that architecture began to grow and spread through the United States, as many Americans that lived in the west coast weren’t as familiar with architecture on the east coast. The Greek Revival style lasted roughly from the mid 1800s to the late 1800s. This architectural style was a turning point in American architecture as this caused more Americans to become interested in Architecture.
During this time America would celebrate its 100th Anniversary since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This style of homes was known as Colonial Revival style, some of the distinguishable characteristics from these homes are described in the article, “The Colonial Revival House”, by Richard Guy Wilson and Noah Sheldon,
[“Structures are typically two stories with the ridge pole running parallel to the street, have a symmetrical front facade with an accented doorway, and evenly spaced windows on either side of it. Features borrowed from colonial period houses of the early 19th century include elaborate front doors, often with decorative crown pediments, fanlights, and sidelights, symmetrical windows flanking the front entrance, often in pairs or threes, and columned porches. (Wilson & Sheldon, 1).]
This excerpt explains how Colonial Revival style houses were designed. These homes evolved from other architectural styles in the U.S, as these homes left behind old ideas such as, parlors and brought in living rooms as new centers for socializing and gathering. This style of homes grew in massive popularity as the United States hosted the World’s Fair in 1876. Pennsylvania Architectural Field Guide, explains in depth in their article, “Colonial Revival Style”, how this style of architecture became a staple for the era,
[“One of the most frequently produced and enduring popular styles in America is the Colonial Revival style. It can be seen in a seemingly endless variety of forms throughout the state and the country and still continues to influence residential architecture today. Basically, the Colonial Revival style was an effort to look back to the Federal and Georgian architecture of America’s founding period for design inspiration. Less commonly, the Post-Medieval English and Dutch Colonial house forms were an influence on the Colonial Revival style. This enthusiasm to explore the architecture of America’s founding period was generated in part by the Philadelphia Centennial of 1876 celebrating the country’s 100th birthday. This trend was further promoted by the Columbian Exposition of 1893, held in Chicago.”(Colonial Revival Style, 1).]
This passage from the article, states how Colonial Revival style became so popular in America during 1876 until the 1900s. Principally, the Colonial Revival style was a patriotic statement for most Americans, as a result of this, Colonial Revival style grew to become one of the most recognizable architectural styles in American history. However, after Colonial Revival style, architecture grew bland as prohibition and the great depression took place in America.
As the stock market crashed in the 1920s and the great depression lasted until the late 1930s, Americans weren’t as interested in architecture as they were in past years. Virginia Durr describes what she experienced throughout the era of the great depression, “It was a time of terrible suffering. The contradictions were so obvious that it didn’t take a very bright person to realize something was terribly wrong.” (Terkel, 461). Virginia Durr describes the overall tone of the era as, terrible, because of the crash of the stock market. This caused many Americans to become impoverished, losing their jobs, money, cars, and homes. Due to this, many Americans began to live in shanty towns known as Hoovervilles, named after the president at the time, Herbert Hoover. These hoovervilles were present in most cities in the U.S, as most Americans lived in poverty during this time. Jesse Jackson explains the type of homes she had seen in these Hoovervilles,
[“…The shacks in Hooverville are built out of every sort of material, and all sorts of architecture are followed, as it suited the taste of the builder and the material he had to build it from. Some are no bigger than piano boxes, and some have five rooms. There is no gas or electricity or running water. Kerosene oil lamps are used for lights, and wood to cook and heat with.”(Jackson, 12).]
Jesse Jackson depicts how life in Hoovervilles were for impoverished Americans. As Jackson mentioned in the article, these homes were built with the resources that were available. These Hoovervilles did not follow any single architectural design, but were designed to suit the needs of whomever built it. As a result, most of these houses were only built to suit the bare necessities of people, since their materials as well as available space to build were limited. The homes during this era presented a reality that these homes had to revert to suiting the survival of each individual instead of the comfort. For many years, homes in America were only to display the comfort and artful ideas of that time. However, once the stock market crashed, sending millions of Americans into poverty, homes changed to reflect the fact that these people barely had any resources to live comfortably.
Throughout history, homes have been the center for displaying a country’s prosperity. Meaning, that architecture defines how a country is advancing. For example, some of the most successful countries in history have had beautiful architecture such as Greece. This country is especially known for its advances in science and math, thus its architecture reflected those ideals. In conclusion, homes in America have drastically changed throughout the decades, however these homes will continue to change as our society progresses. Throughout history our homes have have shifted from homes that suit our environment to homes that better suit us as individuals.