THE 20TH CENTURY CALIFORNIA BUNGALOW HOUSE
Fig. 53. A California Bungalow in north Monroe (Bldg. 155).
Fig. 54. An expressive West Monroe California Bungalow (Bldg. 156).
An innovation in housing design and stylistic detailing occurred in North Louisiana during the second decade of the 20th century. The houses of two California architects, Charles and Henry Greene, led to the establishment of a style known as “Craftsman.” Several influences—the English Arts and Crafts movement, interest in oriental wood architecture and training in the manual arts—may have encouraged the Greene brothers to design intricately detailed buildings. Their work and other California residences received publicity in the various national magazines. Thus, the one-story Craftsman house soon became the most popular and fashionable smaller house in the country. In Louisiana these houses have been labeled “California Bungalows.”
The characteristic features occurred normally on the facades, that portion of the house most visible to the public. The low-pitched gabled roof had wide, unenclosed eaves and overhangs and roof rafters were exposed and decorative false beams or braces occurred under the gables. Porches were full or partial width across the front.
The porch or gallery columns had distinctive detailing. Typically, short square upper columns were placed over more massive masonry piers or a solid porch balustrade (skirt). The columns, piers, or balustrades often began at ground level and extended with no interruption to a level above the porch floor.
The California Bungalow style houses constitute the most numerous group of extant styled houses in the Twin Cities. As such, they represent a definite attempt to establish a styled expression of individuality for the houses of the general populace. The examples illustrated on these pages are representative of this style.
In [figure 53] a California Bungalow in north Monroe was built with the front gable expressed in the broad three-windowed dormer. Note the extensive dormer roof overhang. The full width front gallery is provided with screens between the straight full height wood columns; the gallery roof overhang contains exposed rafter ends.
Another expression of the California Bungalow appeared in the circa 1930 West Monroe house shown in [figure 54]. This two story house has a front gable and multiple groupings of windows. But the greatest expression occurs in the one-story gallery. It has a smaller low pitched gable roof with four full height square brick piers and a half height brick pier near the door. The balustrade continues to the side porte cochere, or car shelter.
The freedom of design offered by the California Bungalow style allowed a house form beyond that of the standard simple rectangle, and the West Monroe circa 1920 house in [figure 55] used this freedom. The roof contains no gables, the front porch is allowed to wrap around the side, and the rear porch is enclosed providing additional room. The exposed rafter ends support a rather deep overhang. The porch supports are constructed of massive wood posts on half height brick piers.
Fig. 55. A rambling California Bungalow on Trenton St., West Monroe (Bldg. 157).
Yet another expression occurs in the West Monroe circa 1926 house in [figure 56]. The high roof allows space for attic rooms. Note shed roof dormer.
Fig. 56. Another expression of the popular California Bungalow (Bldg. 158).
The California Bungalow style continued to be popular in the region until after World War II when it was supplanted by the “ranch” form house with a concrete slab floor.