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!
This fabulous Italianate house, the long-time home of Stephen and Tabitha King in Bangor, Maine, is one of many examples used to illustrate the style’s variations in Chapter 2 of “Restoring Your Historic House, The Comprehensive Guide for Homeowners.”
Like many houses, it was altered over the years with the Queen Anne style tower on the left added in 1895 and the porch rebuilt in the Colonial Revival style in 1912 but it retains an essentially Italianate character.
Following construction of Queen Victoria’s retreat “Osborne House” on the Isle of Wight between 1845 and 1851, the Italianate style became widely popular in the US and appeared from coast to coast.
Understanding the style 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.
“Restoring Your Historic House,” the 720-page award winning and best-selling hardcover book, is available in bookstores and from online retailers. Signed and personalized copies are available directly from the author in our online shop at YourHistoricHouse.com/shop
Want to learn more about historic architectural styles? “A Field Guide to American Houses” by Virginia Savage is the classic book on identifying the styles of historic houses and is available in our shop.
© 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!