VARIOUS 20TH CENTURY HOUSE STYLES
During the first three decades of the 20th century, while the Colonial Revival houses were being built in both one and two story versions, other styles were being represented in the Twin Cities. The Tudor Revival, Prairie Style and the California Bungalow received widespread acceptance in the 1920’s and 1930’s. One selection each of the Tudor Revival and Prairie Style are illustrated herein; also depicted is an example of a hybrid Queen Anne-California Bungalow House.
The Tudor Revival style, popular in the United States from 1890 to 1940, received only nominal acceptance in North Louisiana. Characteristics included a simple box plan with extensions, facade dominated by two or more prominent cross gables and windows in multiple groupings with multipane glazing. Also used were massive chimneys with chimney pots.
The Masur Museum on South Grand Street in Monroe was constructed 1929 by Elmer Slagle, Sr. Depicted in [figure 50] are the characteristics of the Tudor Revival described above. This stone veneer house has a mezzanine porch in the rear overlooking a formal garden and the Ouachita River.
Fig. 50. The 1929 Slagle house, now Masur Museum (Bldg. 152).
A Monroe landmark is the 1926 G. B. Cooley house also on South Grand Street. See [figure 51]. Designed by the architect Walter Burley Griffin, an associate of Frank Lloyd Wright, the plan was laid out to resemble the decks of a steamboat. Mr. Cooley, the owner, was a steamboat captain who plied the Ouachita for many years. The Prairie Style house has 100 windows which may be opened to take advantage of summer breezes.
Fig. 51. Cooley house designed in the Prairie Style (Bldg. 153).
An interesting Trenton Street house in West Monroe, [figure 52], represents a mingling of stylistic detailing. The gable has wood shingles similar to those used in the Queen Anne styles, and the small patterned window panes of that period are reused in a new form. But the exposed rafter ends and expansive overhangs are characteristics of the California Bungalow style.
Fig. 52. On Trenton Street, West Monroe, a gable detail. (Bldg. 154).
Thus, Monroe and West Monroe contain a variety of residential stylistic expressions as evidenced in the extant houses.