A gorgeous 1870s Second Empire house in Erie, Pennsylvania.
The defining feature of a Second Empire style building is the Mansard roof. Typically called a French roof in the U.S. during the 19th century, it was popular when all things French (including the language) were “en vogue” for fashionable middle- and upper-class Americans. From the eave line down, Second Empire buildings are essential Italianate in style, but their roof gives them a different identity.
It is an urban legend that the form was developed to avoid taxes on the top story – property taxes have traditionally been calculated based on the square footage of finished living space, not by how many stories a building has.
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.
Hundreds of houses illustrate 25 different historic domestic architectural styles and types in Chapter 2 of “Restoring Your Historic House, The Comprehensive Guide for Homeowners.”
Signed and personalized copies of the award-winning and bestselling 720-page hardcover book are available from the author at YourHistoricHouse.com/shop/ and through the shop on this page.
Select preservation titles by other authors, including “A Field Guide to American Houses” by Virginia McAlester are also available in our shop!
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