9 Period Revival Styles: 1890-1940 The term Period Revival refers to a wide range of historically based styles favored by the American public for nearly half a century. Such styles as the Colonial Revival and Neoclassical were popular throughout the entire period and appeared concurrently with the nonhistorical styles discussed in the previous chapter. Following World War I, other, more varied styles became popular, such as the Spanish Colonial, English Tudor, and French Norman. A number of these styles—including Spanish Colonial, English Tudor, Mission, Pueblo, and French Norman— were based on the indigenous building traditions of North America and Europe and were especially popular for domestic architecture built after World War I. Various explanations have been offered for the popularity of these Period Revival styles. One opinion is that nationalistic pride following World War I led to an increased use of the Colonial Revival and Neoclassical styles, while another states that the English Tudor and French Norman were favored by doughboys recently returned from Europe. Whatever the reason, many of these historical styles began appearing in all types of architecture. These designs almost always displayed the architect's or builder's familiarity with the external, decorative features of the historical style rather than with the building tradition, its formal features, or plan types. This return to historicism was reinforced in the teens and twenties by the architectural press in numerous articles on the 'country house." Surprisingly, such houses were usually not large, but they were generally sited on large lots or acreage and were frequently designed in the English Tudor or French Norman styles. Some authors of the period rationalized the appropriateness of such styles by claiming that the climatic conditions and varied terrain of America resembled those of England and France. They also supported such styles because of their significant picturesque qualities, which were enhanced by their rural settings. 145
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Fig. 253: English Tudor Cottage, c. 1929, Logan, Cache County. The asymmetrical design of this house is enhanced by the octagonal entry tower at the inside corner of the "L-shaped plan. It is less ornate than many Period Revival cottages. Nevertheless, the variegated brick and the imitation halftimbered gable, formed by the steeply pitched roof of the projecting wing, are indicative of the English Tudor style. This emphasis on the picturesque came out not only in the articles published in the various journals of the time, but also in their accompanying photographs. Unlike the Victorian fondness for the picturesque, which was expressed mostly through a variety of building materials, decorative detailing, and silhouettes, the Period Revival's historical allusions were based on picturesque architectural massing that accommo-
