Do you know the architectural styles of Pennsylvania?
The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission has an excellent field guide on the architectural styles found in Pennsylvania. In it, they’ve assigned key periods of development (listed below) – from the Colonial period in the 18th Century to the Modern Movements of the 20th Century.
To further explore Pennsylvania’s architecture and learn more about the periods, styles, and features of our built history, we’ll be posting a series of articles that delve into the field guide produced by the PHMC – so be sure to stay tuned. (And you may want to subscribe to our blog by email to be notified via email when we post an article. You can do so in the sidebar on the right.)
We’re starting our series with a timeline of the major architectural periods, and the styles found within them, Pennsylvania. Click on an architectural period to see a dropdown list of the styles found in it.
[sws_pullquote_right]IMPORTANT NOTE:
It might be hard to believe, but historians sometimes disagree about things. The PHMC’s field guide states:
“It is important to remember that while some styles are universally recognized, scholars and architectural historians sometimes disagree on the categorization and naming of styles and different books consulted on the topic may offer varying names and periods of popularity. Growing research in the field also has provided better understanding of traditional and vernacular building traditions and greater discussion of some previously overlooked areas. So, while there is a basic language and perception of established architectural styles, it is an evolving understanding and sometimes there is no clearly correct answer.”
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[sws_toggle1 title=” 1638-1950 Traditional “]1638-1880 Log Buildings
1682-1730 Postmedieval English
1700-1870 Pennsylvania German Traditional
1700-1930 Barns and Outbuildings
1695-1950 Meetinghouses [/sws_toggle1]
[sws_toggle1 title=”1640-1800 Colonial Period”]1700-1800 Georgian Style [/sws_toggle1]
[sws_toggle1 title=”1780-1830 Early Republic Period”]1780-1820 Federal Style
Early Classic Revival Style:
1790-1830 Roman Classical Revival Style
1820-1860 Greek Revival Style[/sws_toggle1]
[sws_toggle1 title=”1830-1860 Mid 19th Century Period”] 1830-1860 Gothic Revival Style
1830-1850 Exotic Revival/Egyptian Revival Style
1840-1885 Italianate Village/Italianate Style
1850-1870 Octagonal Style[/sws_toggle1]
[sws_toggle1 title=”1850-1910 Late Victorian Period”]1840-1900 Romanesque Revival Style
1860-1900 Second Empire/Mansard Style
1860-1890 High Victorian Gothic Style
1860-1910 Chateauesque Style
1860-1890 Stick Style
1880-1900 Queen Anne Style[/sws_toggle1]
[sws_toggle1 title=”1880-1940 Late 19th & Early 20th Century Revival”]1880-1960 Colonial Revival Style
1890-1940 Tudor Revival Style
1890-1940 Collegiate Gothic Style
1890-1935 Italianate Renaissance Revival Style
1895-1950 Classical Revival Style
1885-1930 Beaux Arts Classicism Style
1915-1940 Spanish Colonial Revival Style[/sws_toggle1]
[sws_toggle1 title=”1925-1950 Modern Movement Period”]1920-1930 Exotic Revival/Egyptian Revival Style
1925-1940 Art Deco Style
1930-1950 Moderne Style
1930-1950 International Style[/sws_toggle1]