One of my favorite Second Empire style houses, the George Lord Little House in Kennebunk, Maine, was built in 1875.
The defining feature of the Second Empire style is the Mansard roof, first used for an addition to the palace at the Louvre in Paris c. 1550. It got its name from 17th century French Baroque architect François Mansart. It became especially fashionable during the Second French Empire (1852–1870) of Napoléon III, which corresponded with the middle Victorian era in the English-speaking world. Urban legend claims the roof was designed to avoid taxes on an additional story. Not true, the King of France didn’t pay taxes.
Typically called a French roof in the U.S. during the 19th century, it was popular during a period when all things French were “en vogue” for fashionable middle- and upper-class Americans.
Second Empire buildings are essentially Italianate in style from the eave line down, but their roof gives them a different identity.
This beautiful example of the Second Empire style is located in Kennebunk, Maine and is shown in Chapter 2 of “Restoring Your Historic House, The Comprehensive Guide for Homeowners.”
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© Scott T. Hanson 2024.
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