HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE PAGES – home and 4 pages, Folk, Colonial, Romantic,
Victorian
The architecture of the historic homes of Readington Township reveals the portrait of a hard-working, agricultural
community. This is evident as one drives through the rural Readington countryside.
Farmers built their homes to be as sturdy and cost efficient as possible. The houses are not ornate, elaborate or
abstract in design by contemporary standards, but do reflect a variety of practical styles.
Houses that started with one original form of architecture sometimes combined features from other architectural
periods, creating an architectural melting pot of features in one structure.
Join us for a tour of a sampling of Readington’s homes and learn about the architecture of 19th century Hunterdon
County.
Folk Houses
Folk Houses were built to provide a basic structure to provide a comfortable home and shelter for a family. Abstract patterns and
fashion were not a concern when these types of homes were built. Early folk homes were built from materials found near the site of the
house: timber, rock, or clay. The home’s carpenter or carpenters were usually the ones to live in the home. These building designs
were usually handed down from generation to generation, therefore, over time, these homes continued to show little change in design.
• Native American
Our country’s first folk homes are classified as Native American. These structures were built solely using simple materials found in the
region of the Natives. The humble homes they lived in consisted of raw material; sticks, mud, reeds, and so on. It wasn’t until the
arrival of early European settlers that homes begin to take a more modern form.
• Pre-Railroad
Upon the arrival of early European settlers, a more complex design of folk homes began to take shape. The Europeans still, without the
ability to import materials, used techniques like the Native Americans, using materials found on the site of their future home. This
method of construction occurred up through the 17th century.
• National Design
As the creation of the railroads began in the 19th century, the homes became sturdier and stronger than those previously mentioned.
The reason for this is because of the materials being transported into areas by the railcars. These homes, which are seen frequently
throughout Readington Township, are classified as the National Design.
The most common of the three branches of Folk Houses in Readington, are houses of the National Design, built Circa 1850-1890.
Houses built within this period of folk tradition have more complicated design than those of Native American and Pre-Railroad. Although
these do not represent the most elaborate design in historical architecture, the better material brought by the railroads allowed for
stronger, and more handsome homes. These homes are easy to spot, simply designed and no real distinct features in comparison to
the more elaborate homes on this site.
These Nationally Designed I-House stay very true to the term “architectural
melting pot.” Here we see a chimney adorning both sides of the house as seen in
the front view of the homes.
HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE PAGES – home and 4 pages, Folk, Colonial, Romantic,
Victorian
Basic, two story, three bay, I-House of
the mid 1800's
Two story, five bay, I-House of the mid
1800's.
Colonial Houses
Colonists arriving in America from Europe brought along some of the most distinct and beautiful styles of architecture. Many of these
original Colonial Homes are rare to find, however they exist in stylistic “Revivals” of ideas that were found in the original Colonial
Architecture. The Colonial Style is divided into seven categories; Postmedieval English, Dutch Colonial, French Colonial, Spanish
Colonial, Georgian, Adam, and Early Classical Revival. The most common revisits of these homes in Readington are the Georgian and
Adam styles.
• Adam
This architecture was popular between 1780-1820, locally to about 1840. The Adam design type usually displays windows five-ranked,
symmetrically balanced with the center door, possibly the windows can be three or seven ranked as well. Windows also may have
double-hung sashes, typically with six panes per sash. The Cornice is usually emphasized with tooth-like dentils or other decorative
molding. A common feature in the Adam design also includes a fanlight over a paneled door, often accompanied by sidelights. The door
framing usually involves an elaborated crown and may serve as a small entry porch as well.
This structure was created C. 1830. It should
be noted the original design to this house is
only the front portion. The point at which the
roof drops lower than the front portion is a
20th century addition, with no historical value
to the original piece of the home. This home
has windows Five Ranked along with a center
window adjacent to the door as described in
the paragraph at left. On the door we see an
elaborated crown and sidelights.
HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE PAGES – home and 4 pages, Folk, Colonial, Romantic,
Victorian
Romantic Houses
The following houses make up the most commonly seen design of Readington Township. The Romantic Style
includes the most popular design in 19th Century America, known as Greek Revival. This design was popular to
define oneself as a member in the American Republic. These Romantic Homes broke away from traditional European
Design and created a distinctive look for homeowners in the country. Romantic Homes are broken into five
categories. The Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, Italianate, Exotic Revivals and the Octagon style. As the popularity of
the Greek Revival Home wore thin, due to the fact that simply everyone had them, new ideas branched from this in
the same time period. Hence the five other styles previously listed after the Greek Revival in the Romantic Home
group.
• Greek Revival
Pictured here are examples of the Greek Revival design (1825-1860). This may be the most noticeable architectural design
throughout the community. Greek Revival is typically illustrated in the entry porch. Pillars square or round, support the front
structure. A wide band of trim beneath the main roof and porch roof is a common feature. Doorways are generally a single door
or paired, and usually divided into two or four panels with glass pains surrounding. Windows generally had six-pane glazing.
A spitting image of a Greek Revival
Home. Here all the features described
in the paragraph are illustrated,
Square pillars supporting entryway to
the paired front door. Trim below the
low-pitched roof and, like the Adam
Design, six paned glazing on the
windows with smaller frieze band
windows on the top of the house.
Greek Revival C. 1856. Note the lowpitched roof, and entry porch
supported by square pillars.
A country-version of the Greek Revival
design, C. 1840-1850. This building
has been modified; a later built roof
and the double-bay parlor windows
(Victorian design) on the side. Note the
decorated Cornice instead of plain trim
beneath the roof and the six pain
windows, typical Greek Revival
features.
• Italianate
Another branch of Romantic Houses popular between 1840-1885. As seen here we have a largely Italianate home with mixed
features, a common occurrence in older homes that have seen many additions. The roof design descends from a Second Empire,
Late Victorian, Mansard type, atypical of most Romantic Houses. Note the windows are of a more rectangular shape and the
design of the crowns above the windows are more typical in Greek Revival Design. The brackets supporting the over hanging
eaves of the roof are of Italianate design. Note the double doors in the main entry, another typical design found within the
Italianate architectural style.
HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE PAGES – home and 4 pages, Folk, Colonial, Romantic,
Victorian
Note the double doors in the main
entry, another typical design of
Italianate architectural style.
TERMS pop-up box
Crown
The top part of an arch (i.e. peak of roof) including the keystone (center)
Mansard Roof
Roof with a double slope, the lower being longer and steeper than the upper, named after Francois Mansart.
I-House
Folk Houses are broken down into Native-American, Pre-Railroad, and National Houses. These categories have
sub-categories as well. The I-House is one of six homes in the National Design category.
Revivals
Homes that are based on architecture from different countries or from an earlier era. A Greek Revival is based on
the architecture of ancient Greece.
Five RankedThe term “ranked” is used to describe how many windows are displayed on the front of the home. So five ranked,
five windows, six ranked, six windows, and so on.
Double Hung Sashes
Windows that can be seperated, slid up and down, etc.
Cornice
Any projecting ornamental molding along the top of a building finishing or crowning it.
Dentils
A small square block used in a series (patterns).
Fanlight
A window, often semi-circular, over a door with radiating glazing bars suggesting a fan.
Bracket
A small supporting piece of stone or other material often formed of scrolls, to carry a projecting weight.
HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE PAGES – home and 4 pages, Folk, Colonial, Romantic,
Victorian
Sidelights
Windows found on opposite sides of a door, windows are commonly the same length or half the length of the
door.
Paired Door
Two doors together as the main entrance, usually opening away from each other.
Glazing
Another term for glass.
Bay Windows
An angular or curved projection of a house front filled by fenestration (the arrangement of windows in a building).
Gable
The triangular upper portion of a wall at the end of a pitched roof corresponding to a pediment in classical
architecture, usually non-functional as in the portal on a Gothic cathedral.
HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE PAGES – home and 4 pages, Folk, Colonial, Romantic,
Victorian
Victorian Houses
The term “Victorian” descends from Britain’s Queen Victoria who ruled from 1837-1901. In the history of American Architecture it was
during the later years of her reign that the Victorian design became popular. The railways and industry in America continued to grow
and deliver materials for building homes quickly, and more importantly, cheaply. These improvements in the economy led to the
construction of more abstract homes. The Victorian style emphasizes design in texture and color. Thus, the six different categories of
homes: Second Empire, Stick, Queen Anne, Shingle, Richardsonian Romanesque and Folk Victorian tend to overlap each other in
design. In Readington, the most recognizable homes found in Readington Township of the Victorian design are Queen Anne Styles.
• Queen Anne
The most common design of homes found in Readington Township in the Victorian category are referred to as Queen Anne Styles.
These homes were popular between the years of 1860-1900. The two styles pictured here share similar features, most notably the
tower feature, seen on the corner of the houses. This design in the house alone is a give away to identifying this style. Other common
features include bay windows, along with Gable ornaments on the high peaked roof.
Note the tower feature, a common
occurrence in most Queen Anne homes
in the area.
Again we see the tower feature on the
left side of the home. The roof image
shows a cresting of ornaments on the
peak, another key feature in the Queen
Anne Style.