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!
Gable detail on a Stick Style cottage at Bar Harbor, Maine. The house was 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.”
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.
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.”
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!