Friends of dd collins house

Greek Revival Architecture

Sounds Greek to me.

No . . . that's Greek Revival.

Greek Revival historic style architecture was popular from 1825 to 1860. The D.D. Collins House is an excellent example of this style and is one of the few remaining Greek Revival houses in southern Illinois.

This style architecture, which replicated Greek temples, was also known as the national style because it was used on so many front façades of banks, meeting halls and churches.

CHARACTERISTICS: Greek Revival style homes were painted white to resemble white marble temples.

MATERIALS: The standard building materials were either stucco or wood.

ROOF: Hip roofs as well as low pitched gables were typical with the Greek Revival style house. In addition, a continuing roof covered not only the house but continued out to also cover the porch. A wide -band cornice line trim emphasized the look of the Greek temple. The roof was either standing seam tin or cedar shingles.

WINDOWS: Most windows were double hung with six panes to each sash. The Greek Revival style replaced common style dormers with small rectangular windows set in the frieze beneath the cornice.

COLUMNS: Classic Greek Revival style columns were round though square and octagonal columns could also be found in this style architecture; however, Greek columns were designed with no bases or had bases with Roman adaptation. Most columns were of the Doric or Ionic style and were almost always made of wood.

ENTRANCE: The vault design was unknown to the Greeks, so the simple post-and-beam construction was widely used. As a result there are no arched entrances and fanlights in Greek Revival style architecture.

Small-paned, rectangular sidelights with a rectangular transom are typical features in the Greek Revival style. Sometimes these were framed with heavy, wide-trim. Doors were usually divided with one, two, or four panels. A porch or portico were added to replicate a grand front entrance.

Reference materials used for this description of typical Greek Revival style architecture was Wentworth, Inc. Studio Design Consultants of Chevy Chase, Maryland.