Cottontown News

September 2005

Next Neighborhood Association Meeting:

Saturday, Nov 5, 2005

2:00 pm

Greater Columbia Baptist Church

Corner of Grace & Anthony Sts.

 

Your Old House:  Bungalows

 

             What kind of house do you live in? Most of the homes in Cottontown are bungalows in the Craftsman style. Bungalows represent an all –American kind of architecture popular throughout the country from 1900-1940. Today we see many new communities being built in imitation bungalow style—but you are probably living in the real thing!

             So what are the characteristics of bungalows anyway? In general, they are modest-sized homes designed with solid, simple craftsmanship. They are usually 1 to 1 ½ stories high. The roof has a low pitch and wide eaves with exposed roof rafters. The walls may be made of brick, stucco or wood siding. There is usually a large front porch, and the front door opens directly into the living room.  The porch roof is often supported by squared porch columns or posts resting on piers.  There are many windows, usually double-hung, and often placed side –by-side or in bands. The colors of bungalows generally reflected the colors of nature, with tones of beige, brown, green, red and –later on – off-white or ivory tones.

             To learn more about this kind of home, type “bungalow” or “Craftsman bungalow” into the search engine of your computer. You will see that many people share our love of the beautiful bungalow.

 

 

 

 

 

Your Old House:  Beyond Bungalows

 

             Most of the historic homes in Cottontown are bungalows. But we are fortunate to have several other lovely types of homes in our historic district. Here’s how you can recognize them.

             The Cottage/Romantic Revivals (from 1910 to 1940) are quite common in our neighborhood.  These homes, like bungalows, are usually 1 to 1 ½ stories high. However, unlike bungalows, they usually have a steeply pitched roof, often with several gables or dormers. This type home features a variety of quaint detailing, such as arches; tiny, decorative windows in gable ends; elaborate brickwork or ironwork.

             The Foursquare (constructed from about 1890 to 1930) is one of the most popular types of housing in the country, although there are just a few in our neighborhood. These homes are two-stories tall and have a “box” shape. There is usually a hipped roof with a front dormer. The front porch may be a small stoop or may run the full width of the house.

             The Colonial Revival (built from 1880 to 1940) was made to look somewhat like American homes of the 1700s. These homes usually have two stories with a symmetrical appearance. There is often an impressive entry way in the center of the front, perhaps with round columns. The trim and detail work on this type house is usually more elaborate than it is on the Foursquare.

 

 

 

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**Elections will be held at next meeting!**