The Stick Style William C. Davol Jr. House in Fall River, Massachusetts was built in 1876. The house was designed by Boston architects Hartwell & Swasey.
Character-defining features of the house include asymmetrical massing, irregular silhouette, an entrance porch with exposed framework, spoon-carved entrance doors, and a stained glass window. Also characteristic of the style is the panelized wall treatment with different siding materials in various areas.
Davol was treasurer of the Davol Mills which produced textiles. The company was founded in the 1860s by his father, William C. Davol, Sr. and others. The elder Davol was a machinery builder who is credited with importing the “Roberts Self-acting Mule” from Great Britain in the early 1840s. This area of Massachusetts and Rhode Island was where the industrial revolution first flourished in the U.S.
Stick Style 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 worth owning if you are interested in Victorian-era architecture.
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 online shop at YourHistoricHouse.com/shop/.
Our shop also carries select preservation and restoration titles by other authors. Save with our multi-book combo packs!
“Restoring Your Historic House is also available in bookstores nationwide and from online retailers.
© Scott T. Hanson 2025.
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