Fabulous photos of Denver Victorian Era homes courtesy of Johnathan J. Stegeman
The Victorian Era home styles includes: Second Empire Homes (1860-1880); Romanesque Revival (1870-1900); Queen Anne/Stick/Eastlake (1880’s-1910) and Folk Victorians.
The term Victorian refers to a time period in history that encompasses several different architectural styles starting between 1840 and 1860 and continuing roughly through 1910. The advent of the machine age allowed for the mass production of common ornaments specific to the Victorian age.
Colorado became a State in 1876 which dovetails perfectly with the Victorian-Era period. This also explains the prevalence of Victorians found in older Denver neighborhoods.
The following lists are loose compilations addressing chief architectural features found on Victorian period homes. Few Denver homes are true or exact representations of the Victorian time period. Over time, Denver homeowners frequently added adornments that were out of sync within the integrity of the original design.
Characteristics of Second Empire Homes:
(Uncommon in Denver)
Dormer windows protrude from the roof
Brackets under the bay windows, eaves and balconies
Usually have a small porch entrance-way at front door
Linear windows on main floor
Features of Romanesque Revival Homes:
Typically used for extravagant public buildings or homes for the exceptionally wealthy
Inspired in the United States by Architect Henry Hobson Richardson
Heavier than other styles in the Victorian period
Rounded arches
Semi-circular arches on window and doors openings
Gabled roofs
Square or polygonal towers
Beltcourses
Characteristics of Queen Anne Homes:
Complex roofline
Mixture of size and shaped windows – bay windows typically surrounded by smaller sized colored glass windows.
Asymmetrical shapes used creating an unbalanced look
Hipped, steeply pitched roofs with cross gable(s) in decorative patterns
Fish scale shingle patterns
Wrap-around porches frequently extending around the side of the house
Elaborate exterior details and liberal use of trim work
Massive main bay windows
Chimney(s) with decorative caps
Round tower
Features of Stick Homes:
Popularized by English furniture designer Charles L. Eastlake
More linear than the Queen Anne
Lacy balconies
Less formal than the Queen Anne
Exterior clapboards and shingles are divided by vertical & horizontal boards
Column less symmetrical
Beaded Spindles
Characteristics of Folk Homes:
Often referred to as the “working class” version in the Victorian Era
More symmetrical than either the Queen Anne or the Stick
Usually missing elaborate bay windows, balconies, and 2nd floor overhangs
Less elaborate construction
Simplified, smaller and plainer than the noted Victorian cousins
The variety of Denver home styles during the Victorian period is fairly vast. Denver Neighborhoods offering Victorian-Era Homes: Park Hill, Baker, Curtis Park, Five Points, Capitol Hill, Chessman Park, Congress Park and the Highlands.
***I used the classification system for determining Denver architectural home styles provided by Dr. Tom Paradis, Associate Professor at Northern Arizona University from his website American Architectural Styles Dr. Paradis also offers a downloadable “Architectural Field Guide” on his site that is a great tool to use when identifying Denver architectural styles.
Please feel free to contact me should you be interested in purchasing or selling one of these amazing homes.
Michelle A. Potter
Denver Realtor
RE/MAX Professionals
