THE WOOD FRAME HOUSE, 19TH CENTURY
During the late 19th century and early 20th century wood frame construction was used to build high style and vernacular houses in the Greek Revival and Queen Anne styles. [Figure 7] depicts a late vernacular Greek Revival house with a symmetrical plan, and [figure 8] shows a Queen Anne house with asymmetrical plan.
The central hall plan in [figure 7] has a steep roof with an integral gallery. Windows are six lights over six lights. A wing was attached to the rear. The original chimney is still visible.
The gable front and wing plan house in [figure 8] was popular in the period from 1890 to 1920. The key feature was the forward wing which occupied a portion of the full gallery and the resultant half porch. Often the front wall of the wing was angled, or cut away, but the full roof gable remained. Or, an additional polygonal bay was added. Note the Queen Anne scroll and trim on the porch. This replaced the simple 6″ × 6″ square post of older house forms. This house plan sometimes featured a central hall.
Though in a deteriorated state, the two room house in [figure 9] has features worth noting. The siding is vertical board and batten, a technique of construction which appeared with the erection of lumber and railroad worker housing in the 1880’s. The front covered area does not extend the full width of the core; therefore, it is termed a “porch” in contrast to the “gallery” of the previous two examples. Also, it is “attached” and not “integral” with the main core roof structure.