Historic House Blog

“Dentil” mouldings are very common.  You can spot them on many historic houses, as well as newer homes with a classical look.  However, dentil moldings are also one of the most commonly misspelled architecture elements (especially in real estate descriptions) — and it is easy to understand why.  After all, dentil is pronounced the same as “dental.”  [...]

The waters off of New Jersey can be treacherous for shipping traffic and many ships have come to grief against the Jersey rocks. In the 19th and early 20th-century, the Life Saving Service (the forerunner of the Coast Guard) set up stations all along the coast, manned by mariners who would watch the ocean horizon [...]

Whether restoring a worn down Victorian or sprucing up a Craftsman bungalow for re-sale, it is good to know where to look to find historic hardware to add that extra level of authenticity to your project.  You might know of a local architectural salvage store where you might be able to score some good material, [...]

This 1890s 22×26 log home was taken apart in Noble, Wisconsin, and moved to Marietta, Georgia, where craftsman Louis Michael (Mike) Jones restored and reassembled it. There is a newer timber frame addition off the back, which makes for 1404 total square feet of living space. With the restoration work finished, the log home is now for ready for [...]

I snapped the above photo of The Hamilton-Turner Inn (ca. 1873) in December 2007.  It is one of my favorite photos from my trip to Savanah.  I am very much enamoured with this historic house– an infatuation that goes well beyond my usual admiration for Second Empire mansions.  I generally do not like excessive, over-the-top ornamentation on historic [...]

There’s a sign on the tree coming into town that says “Population – 4.” The population actually peaked at 50 around 1925, but that sign actually needs some updating now- the permanent population now stands at “0″ and the whole town of Albert, Texas is up for sale. Wikipedia describes it as a “ghost town” [...]

Some of the earliest Victorian-era houses were part of an architectural movement called “Gothic Revival.”  Gothic houses in the United States were built primarily from 1840 to 1860, and are also referred to as “Carpenter Gothic,” “Rural Gothic,” and even more informally, “Gingerbread houses” – due to frilly ornamentation that is common to the style.  Andrew [...]

It’s the largest national event for tradespeople and enthusiasts interested in renovating, remodeling, and restoring historic homes, and this year it will be held in Boston from March 12th to the 14th. The Traditional Building Exhibition and Conference offers a unique opportunity for more than 4,000 architects, contractors, builders, developers, planners, real estate professionals, and old-house owners to [...]

Every once in awhile on this blog, we highlight a historic property that captures our attention.  These houses are usually currently offered for sale, and are usually listed on our sponsor website, www.HistoricHomesMarketplace.com .  We hope that you will not only enjoy a look at a beautiful antique property, but you might even pick up [...]

The first couple of decades of the twentieth-century were exciting times for house builders and architects. Many of the house styles that came to dominate 20th-century architecture were first introduced in the 1900s, the teens, and the 1920s. Craftsman bungalows were the most popular houses of the 1910s, and continued in popularity through the 1930s. Frank Lloyd Wright launched his [...]