(Mostly) Regional Forms ~ On Sunday I posted a house in St. Francisville, Louisiana, that was an example of a common Deep South house form – the “undercut.” I mentioned that architecture is often adapted to the climate of the region where it is located. That certain adaptions become common enough to become characteristic of the region and the undercut form is such an adaption in the American South.
These houses have porches “cut out” of the main body of the house, i.e. covered by the primary roof. In other regions, porches more often are added onto the exterior with their own separate roof.
This house form is generally not found in Northern houses of the same period.
I wrote that examples can be found in the North, but they are rare. Four hours after that posted, I drove by one in Groton, Massachusetts! This lovely example has Greek Revival detailing and was likely built between 1830 and 1850.
Twenty-five architectural styles and forms are described and 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 online shop at YourHistoricHouse.com/shop/.
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© Scott T. Hanson 2025.
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