The best way to learn about historic houses is to look at them closely, and the most fun way to look at them closely is to do a puzzle showing a wonderful historic house! So, we made a unique and interesting collection of Historic House Puzzles for you to enjoy!
Architect John Fraser designed the Washington, DC, mansion in 1881. It is a combination of Queen Anne, Second Empire, and Châteauesque styles. It was up to date in using the Queen Anne style while looking backward to the Second Empire and forward to the Châteauesque. The house was completed in 1882.
James G. Blaine was a Republican politician from Maine who served as Speaker of the House, and later as a US Senator and US Secretary of State under three presidents. As a presidential candidate, he was narrowly defeated by Grover Cleveland in 1884. The Blaine’s home in Augusta, Maine, is now the state Governor’s residence.
Houses designed in two styles are not uncommon and are always interesting in that they capture a moment in time as one style succeeds another in popularity. Houses that include styles of the recent past, the present, and the approaching future are rarer and even more interesting.
Understanding the style(s) 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.
All three styles used for the Blaine Mansion are included among the 25 styles 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 directly from the author in our online shop at YourHistoricHouse.com/shop/.
Our shop also carries select preservation and restoration titles by other authors. Save on cost and shipping with our multi-book combo packs!
© Scott T. Hanson 2025.
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Click on the dashed box at the top-right in the puzzle box below to open the puzzle to full screen. In the top left, you can change the number of pieces (100 pieces is the default), toggle piece rotation, and change the background color. Then hit “OK” and have fun!