1870 House-What Style?

[Catheetiem]

I've heard that sometimes victorian-looking parts of houses were taken off as the ornate style fell out of fashion, so I'm curious if anything like that might have happened here and might be able to find out one way or the other from one of them.

Victorian details were often also added to earlier houses of simpler design - and sometimes left on even when that style faded. Those who restore houses sometimes choose a point in its evolution to "return" it to, not necessarily the date of its original construction.

Examples abound of historical house restorations that do either: show its transformation over time, or restore to its appearance when new. Both methods can be interesting, informative, and beautiful if done right.

Oh, good to know, and makes sense! I'll be waiting to see if I can dig up any pictures or details on the house in its earlier years, but if I can't find anything I'll have to make decision on what time to pick!! Aaaaah the decisions! Showing transformation over time is a really interesting concept, though I don't know if I have the planning skills for it lol

[Manalto]

The Butler-McCook house in my home town is an example. Some subtle Victorian details were added to the original Colonial house.



Not visible in this photo (you get a glimpse behind the flagpole) is the office added by the second owner. It's now a house museum and the restorers (wisely, in my opinion) decided to keep the changes to the structure. It's an interesting house to visit, and remarkable that it survived all those years on Main Street, quite close to downtown.

Here's the Wikipedia entry, in case you're interested:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butler-McCook_Homestead

[CleavesHouse]

To me (and possibly no one else), "vernacular" hints at a local style.

FWIW, on page 106 of the April 1986 issue of the Old House Journal there is a discussion of the use of the word "vernacular" in architecture (you're not wrong...)

[Manalto]

(you're not wrong...)

Thank you for that - is there anyone who doesn't love being right?

I would add to the OHJ's comments that, in many cases, vernacular characteristics are a matter of degree; some houses are unmistakably from a particular region and some have subtle influences.

In this age of homogenization, regional character has been stripped from just about everything (not long ago, I was standing in a Home Depot in San Juan, Puerto Rico and couldn't remember for a second where I was). This makes our examples of vernacular architecture all the more precious.