Page 57 - Waxahachie, TX Residential Design Guidelines

Pl annin g a Preservation Project

c o l o n i a l R e v i v a l ( 18 8 0 – 19 5 5 )

Colonial Revival was among the dominant styles for American
residential architecture during the first half of the twentieth century.
The style was the result of a rebirth of interest in the early English 2
and Dutch houses of the Atlantic Seaboard. The Georgian and
Adams styles were the backbone of the revival, which also drew 1
upon Post-medieval English and Dutch Colonial architecture 608 West Marvin Avenue, an
for references. The typical Colonial Revival house is an eclectic example of the Colonial Revival
mixture of several colonial designs rather than a direct copy of a style.
single style.

The Colonial Revival style was introduced at the Philadelphia
Exposition of 1876, which marked the centennial of the Declaration
of Independence. Many of the buildings designed for the
Exposition were based on historically significant colonial designs.
The Exposition occurred at a time when several highly publicized
efforts were being made by national organizations to preserve
Old South Church in Boston and Mount Vernon. Later, a series
of articles focusing on eighteenth-century American architecture
appeared in the American Architect and Harpers, helping to make
the style popular across the country.

Identifying features of the Colonial Revival Style include:
1. A symmetrical façade with gable, hip or gambrel roofs
2. Accentuated front doors, normally with a decorative pediment
supported by pilasters
3. Simple entry porches supported by columns
4. Double-hung sash windows set in pairs, usually with multi-
pane glazing in each sash

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903 West Main Street, a contributing structure to the West End Historic
District and an example of the Colonial Revival style.

Waxahac hie Residential design guidelines 49