Architecture   Carpentry, Decks, Roofing & Siding   General Contractors/ Remodelers   Interior Design   Kitchen & Bath   Landscaping Painting Windows & Doors   more...

Federal: New nation,
new style

In the decades following the Revolutionary War, America sought its own architectural style—a post-Colonial style. As Hugh Morrison writes in his book Early American Architecture, “A few prophetic minds, animated partly by the progress of industry and technology and partly by national pride, called for a declaration of independence from borrowed styles”—at least those styles borrowed from England.

Federal style, which emerged from 1780 to 1820, grew out of Georgian style, borrowed from England. Georgian style represents a marked difference from earlier, organic Colonial styles. A more formal style, it reflects the Colonies’ emerging affluence. Federal style shares many elements of Georgian: symmetry, columns, pilasters and pediments. But it is more ornate, adding elements of Roman classicism and French architecture from the period of Louis XVI.

Thomas Jefferson heavily influenced the development of Federal style. He knew the world would judge the new nation by, among other things, its architecture. His Virginia home, Monticello, is considered an example of Roman neoclassical architecture. “He wanted national greatness at every level of national life—political, social, cultural, artistic,” James Marston Fitch writes in American Building: the Historical Forces that Shaped It. “The building field, like any other, must contribute to this greatness; and the individual building itself must satisfy, not only the needs of its owner, but also of the community as a whole.”

The Federal period saw a revival of classical architectural elements, particularly those of ancient Rome. “America built hugely and built well,” Fitch writes. “and the Revival—first the Roman, then the Greek—became the absolutely universal idiom of design.”
Dignified, smooth facades with delicate decorative details, such as a semi-circular fanlight above the front door, along with flanking sidelights and ornamental carving, identify Federal architecture. Curves were favored. Palladian windows, spiral staircases and even circular, octagonal or oval rooms were introduced. Carved wood and molded plaster became sought-after decorative elements. Dentil molding became popular in this period. The American Eagle became a Federalist symbol.

Charles Bulfinch is one of America’s best-known Federalist architects. A protégé of Jefferson, the Harvard-educated Bulfinch designed the Massachusetts State House and Fanueil Hall, both in Boston, along with other public buildings and private residences, including the Otis House in Boston, which now serves as headquarters for Historic New England.

The White House is likely the country’s most widely recognizable example of Federal architecture. Designed by Irish-born architect James Hoban, the “President’s House” was completed about eight years after construction began in 1792. President John Adams and his wife, Abigail, were its first residents.

On Cape Cod, the Pepper House on Route 6A in Brewster stands as an example of Federal architecture, with its symmetry, low-pitched roof and signature fanlight over the door, as well as sidelights. Built in 1793, it was once the home of Bangs Pepper, a sea captain. In residential architecture, Federal style found favor among wealthy sea merchants.

While Palladian, round and oval windows made their way into public buildings, double-hung windows remained the standard for residential architecture. However, they were now adorned with cornices. As glass became easier to make, the number of panes per window was reduced to six over six.

Public buildings were commonly constructed of brick, while residences, particularly in New England, were still built mostly of wood. Clapboards were painted in the most popular colors of the day: yellow, ochre and white. Red, however, was the most economical paint color, so it was often used, especially on less significant structures.