23. The Octagon

In 1848, in New York State, Orson Fowler loudly proclaimed that the octagonal shaped house had numerous benefits over 'square' shaped houses. He must have been an excellent salesman because 100's of people built Octagons. It is correct that the inner space is larger and that the rooms are brighter due to the many windows. What he didn't say is that the rooms are terrible to furnish due to the short walls and lack of corners.

What to look for (clues)

• An eight-sided house.

• Most of the octagons sit a little distance above the ground.

• There is usually a verandah that encompasses the entire house.

• The 3rd floor is often just a cupola or single room.

• Tall narrow windows are often paired. There may be shutters.

Where to find it

Octagons aren't common, but I wouldn't rate them as 'rare'. This one is in Hawksbury near the Ottawa River.
The Octagon is found more frequently in New York State.

22. The Monterey

The Monterey style was created in California about 1853. Canadian versions can be found, but they tend to date back to the middle of the 20th century. The Monterey is a two-story house. The most outstanding feature is a balcony that extends partially or fully across the second story. The balcony can only be reached from inside the house.

What to look for (clues)?

• The long side of the house faces the street. There are gables at each end.


• Exterior walls are brick, wood or stucco.


• The second story railing is usually an attractively painted wrought iron or wood.


• There are normally two sets of French doors, with shutters, leading to the balcony.


• The roof is low-pitched and shingled.

Where to find it?

Look in the older suburbs of cities to locate this style. While not common, I would not rate it as rare. Much older homes that are quite similar may be located in St. Augustine, Florida (Spanish Eclectic) or in various older section of Quebec, where they were dubbed the English Style (and came into existence after 1763). The difference with the 'English Style' is that you have to go down three or four steps to enter the house. Imagine my surprise when I found a perfect example in Elora, Ontario!

The house pictured here is in Waterloo, Ontario.

21. The Tudor Revival

There are quite a number of English styles that became popular around 1900. Unfortunately, there is a tendency to incorrectly label all of them as Tudor Revivals, when in fact there are a number of specific styles. The TUDOR REVIVAL is a distinct and handsome style that is found in large numbers in most Canadian cities.

What to look for (clues)?

• Wooden beams over stucco on at least a portion of the front exterior.


• Sets of three of more narrow windows. These leaded windows are usually divided into small diamond or rectangular shapes.


• Fancy brick or stonework is common. High narrow chimneys, usually placed towards the rear of the building.


• 'Heavy' entranceway of stone or cement and a solid wooden door.


• Front gables and bay windows are common.

Where to find it?

Most of these homes are found in an urban setting. They frequently cluster in older, expensive sections of our cities.There are a wide number of variations. For some inexplicable reason I consider it a solid, large, 'masculine' home. I personally find the Tudor Revival a very attractive style.

20. The Loyalist: Ontario House

The Loyalist Ontario House is basically an enlarged version of the cottage. The differences are noted below. Many of the Loyalist buildings later adopted parts of the Gothic Revival style for decoration making them more difficult to identify.

What to look for (clues)

• A larger and steeper gable (than the cottage) breaks the front roof line.
  

• The building is taller with two honest floors. Usually full-sized windows appear on the on the second story.

• A full-sized window often appears within the front gable.

• The main gable roof tends to be steeper.

Where to find it?

This became a very popular style, along with the cottage, throughout Ontario. The picture shown at the top is a house in Stratford that was built in 1859 and bears a plaque as a designated property under the 1974 Ontario Heritage Act. On the plaque it states, "a fine example of the Ontario House Style".
The other homes are a stone house from Elora, a 'board and batten' wooden home from Bobcaygeon and a large and old stone building from Kingston.

This was one of the buildings that often falls under the Neoclassical umbrella. Note: Check The Loyalist-Ontario Cottage as well for information.

19. Richardson Romanesque

The Romanesque style dates back to Charlemagne and the 9th Century. Its most prominent feature was the extensive use of the 'arch' form. In the 12th Century it was used for magnificent churches in France.
Richardson, an architect from Chicago, fell in love with the style and brought it back to America with a few revisions. In particular, he used primarily a rough stone finish instead of the original smooth stone (ashlar).
The Richardson Romanesque style created huge houses and there are a great number of them scattered around the older sections of cities and towns in Ontario.

What to look for (clues) ?

• A huge, asymmetrical style with a rough-stoned exterior of various textures and colours.
• Rounded, deep-set arches for main floor coverings.
• A single, usually round tower, is common. (It may be topped by a 'witch's hat'.)
• Windows are square or rectangular with square or arched transoms above them.
• Smaller square windows sometimes appear in groups.

Where to find it ?

Parts of the Richardson Romanesque style are sometimes poached by Queen Anne houses (who steal from virtually any style). This sometimes makes it difficult to distinguish clearly between the two styles.
The Richardson Romanesque style lends itself commendably to churches and public buildings.

18. Victory / Veteran's Housing

During and immediately following World War II there was a huge demand for low cost housing. The first need was to create a small, simple building that could house the employees of war related industries. The second was to provide homes for the returning veterans.
The Federal Government's answer was to develop 2 styles (later 8) of 800 sq. ft. buildings that were partially prefabricated and could easily be assembled by local builders. Virtually every city and town has some. As would be expected, many alterations have been made to them over the intervening 50+ years.

What to look for (clues) ?

• A small home with a moderately steep side-gable or hipped roof.


• Everything is (or was) very plain.


• The main exterior finish was clapboard, although there were examples of composite shingles, stucco and brick siding,


• There were no dormers.


• Originally, the homes were built on a cement slab, but most have added basements over time.

Where to find it ?

There are vast numbers of these homes scattered throughout Ontario's urban settings. I have not checked the other Eastern Provinces, but would assume that they also have their share. I think that these structures served their purpose admirably because the majority of them appear to still be in good shape.

17. The Foresquare

This is a house that somehow manages to hide in its urban settings. You just don't notice it unless something has been done to make it stand out; such as a garish paint job. Despite its size, the house can be constructed without an architect on a reasonably small lot and provides excellent space. The facade can vary from house to house with the entryway moved from the center to one of the sides. In addition, there are a variety of different porches that vary in shape and size. I think this adds to the camouflage. The building also makes a fine farmhouse and can be located in rural settings.

What to look for (clues)?

• Normally the building is a 2+ story cube. Bay windows are a possibility.


• A hipped or pyramidal roof with a specific type of dormer (roof window). This dormer is nearly always present at the center front but also commonly appears on both sides as well.


• The entryway is at the front of the house.


• There is normally some type of porch or verandah.

Where to find it ?

Once I identified the Foresquare I was surprised by their numbers in older urban settings. As mentioned earlier, look for it in rural locations as well. A number of Foresquares in Quebec are raised and you must take steps to reach the entryway.
I have also found some smaller, single story homes that boast the same 'shed dormer'. I still have to prove that they're related to the Foresquare.