Boston boasts a lot of history and culture, which is why our city sees so many new visitors and residents every year. When a person walks up and down the street, he or she can clearly see the eclectic mix of old and new. Many of the buildings that we see have a history all their own from the architecture to the person who built them. With so much construction of new buildings occurring day in and day out, it can be hard to figure out how old these structures actually are. For those visitors interested in architecture, we have compiled a list of ways to identify the old houses throughout the city. So take a stroll throughout our neighborhoods! How many of these styles can you find?
1. First Period
These houses were built in the 1600’s to the 1700’s and can be found within Boston and in its surrounding towns. An example of this style is the Paul Revere House in the North End! Salem, Ipswich, and Newburyport are also good places to find some of these old homes. First Period architecture is also known as the Post-Medieval style. You can identify it by its iconic boxy shape, steeply pitched roof, and a large central chimney. Many have casement windows with multiple panes and are sided with narrow clapboards. These houses were meant to reflect the houses that colonists lived in while in England.
2. Federal
This style of home was common in the 1780’s to the 1820’s. Beacon Hill and the State House are two examples of this in Boston. You can also find the Federal architecture in Marblehead, Newburyport, and Salem. These houses were made to emulate ancient Greek and Rome style of architecture and are similar in shape to the Georgian style of homes. They are more refined, however, and have low-hipped roofs, decorative moulding on the cornices, and delicate fanlights on the front doors.
3. Italianate
Built in the 1840’s to 1885, this style of house can be found in the following Boston neighborhoods: Back Bay, Dorchester, Jamaica Plain, and Roxbury. Lowell, Lynn, and New Bedford also feature this style. Common to this type of architecture are wide, bracketed eaves; and arched double or triple windows; paired, arched doorways; structural masonry or decorative wood corner quoins; and centered or full-width porches.
To learn more about the types of architecture found in Boston, check out the Boston Globe Magazine! You will find many more old houses and how to recognize them. In the mean time, see if you can find these styles around the city and guess how old they are!
Boston also offers many different tours that deal specifically with architecture. Boston By Foot offers an architecture boat tour from May until October. Get Your Guide also gives many options for architectural tours and many other Boston events.
Source: Boston Globe Magazine
