A Classic American Foursquare House with Craftsman style detailing.
The American Foursquare may be the most common historic house type in the nation. Available in kit form and site-built by the tens of thousands between 1900 and 1930, in thousands of variations, they can be found from California to Maine.
While their details can draw from the Queen Anne, Craftsman, Colonial Revival, or other styles, their essential form is a cube with a pyramidal roof.
This Skowhegan, Maine example has a brick first story with wood shingle above and a wonderful Craftsman style porch with tapered square piers. The deeply overhanging eaves with rafter tail brackets on the main roof, dormers, and porches are characteristic of the style.
Understanding the style of a house is the essential first step in developing a restoration plan that prioritizes the preservation and restoration of character-defining features while making changes necessary for modern life in an old house.
The American Four-Square is one of 25 historic architectural styles and types described and illustrated in Chapter 2 of “Restoring Your Historic House, The Comprehensive Guide for Homeowners.”
The 720-page hardcover book now available in bookstores nationwide and from online retailers.
Signed copies are available directly from the author in our shop, YourHistoricHouse.com/shop/.
Our shop also carries select preservation and restoration titles by other authors, including Virginia Savage’s classic “A Field Guide to American Houses.”
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