Their exteriors were largely unembellished. Cozy Charm That Stands Up to the Elements / OlegAlbinskyĮarly Cape Cod houses were broad, rectangular, wood-framed structures one room deep and 1 or 1.5 stories. Since then, the Cape Cod house, encircled by a white picket fence, has become one of the most iconic architectural styles in America, and its popularity shows no sign of waning. Still today, these houses are often found in welcoming neighborhoods with tree-lined streets and spacious parks. Thanks to their homey appeal, the Cape Cod architectural style was used to build some of the first major housing developments in the 1950s. The modern Cape Cod’s popularity got another boost during the residential construction boom in the late 1940s and 1950s, when soldiers returning from WWII were looking for simple, practical living spaces. The style caught on so well that this more spacious, decorative look is what most think of as the typical Cape Cod house. Willis added detailing, while overall maintaining the exterior’s reserved elegance. Willis and the associates of his architectural firm modernized the homes by making them larger and better adapted to the needs of early 20th-century living. It was the Colonial Revival period in the 1920s and 1930s that brought the Cape Cod architectural style back into the spotlight.īoston architect Royal Barry Willis was enchanted with the style and set out to bring its advantages to the nation’s attention. For the next 70 years, they gradually faded from public memory. In his four-volume work Travels in New England and New York, published starting in 1821, he described the Cape Cod houses he saw, and the name stuck.Ĭape Cods in the original style remained popular throughout New England into the mid-1800s, when Victorian houses overtook them. The Reverend Timothy Dwight IV, President of Yale University, was taken with the modest charm of these houses during a tour of New England in 1800. It was around this time the term “Cape Cod house” emerged. By 1830, it was catching on in the Midwest, too. From there, the style expanded to Eastern, then to Southern and Central New York, and finally to Lake Erie in the west. Other features, such as the steep roofs, were adaptations to New England’s inclement coastal weather.īy 1740, these houses were widespread throughout New England. Some key features, such as the large central chimney, were borrowed from the thatched cottages common in England. These modest rectangular buildings were designed for easy construction and maintenance, as well as for heating efficiency. Original Cape Cod style homes were built by English Puritan settlers from 1690 to around 1850. The Cape Cod architectural style developed in two phases, giving rise to two distinct looks. From Functional Shelter to Idyllic Retreat / jhorrocks Today’s Cape Cods have been updated for modern living, but they’ve held on to the homey simplicity that’s made them an American classic. Its most iconic features arose from the realities settlers faced surviving the Eastern Seaboard stormy weather. Born of practicality and economy, the Cape Cod architectural style evokes a cozy atmosphere without relying on elaborate design or detailing.
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