We are visiting Bar Harbor, Maine, this week, along with the other lovely towns and Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island. I’ll be sharing some of the wonderful historic houses found here with all of you, starting with this Stick Style cottage at Bar Harbor, constructed in 1878 for William F. Holland, a banker from Savannah, Georgia.
The Stick Style shares many features with the Queen Anne style but has several distinctions. It was named by noted architectural historian Vincent Scully, who traced its development in the mid-19th century in his influential 1955 book, The Shingle Style and the Stick Style. The book is still in print and well worth owning if you have an interest in Victorian era architecture.
He finds the roots of the style in the work of A.J. Downing and quotes a description of a design from a Downing book, “It partakes somewhat of Italian and Swiss features.” That description perfectly fits the wonderful frieze and bracketed eave trim on this example, now an inn.
Understanding the style of a house should be the starting point for planning a renovation/restoration project.
Stick Style is one of 25 styles and types illustrated 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 in our shop at YourHistoricHouse.com/shop/.
Want to learn more about historic house styles? “A Field Guide to American Houses” by Virginia McAlester is available in our shop.
© Scott T. Hanson 2024.
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