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In the mid 19th century, American public and commercial buildings were sometimes modeled after the European Romanesque style (Romanesque Revival). It was later in the 19th century when Henry Hobson Richardson implemented some of the Romanesque style while using Syrian-type arches and self-inspired unusual stone shapes to create a unique house style. This style became known as "Richardson Romanesque." First built in the northeast, this design can be found throughout the United States but more frequently seen in larger cities. Due to the expensive construction cost of the solid masonry designs, private homes of this type were generally only for the wealthy. Row homes were built as well, using brownstone or Roman brick with terra-cotta enhancements.
The Richardson Romanesque style exhibited the architect's individualism through unusual sculpted shapes and massive use of heavy masonry walls, usually rough-faced squared stone. Decorative wall patterns were achieved utilizing colors or textures of stone.
Roof types varied, but the most common were hipped roofs with multi-gabled dormers, much like the asymmetrical shape of the Queen Anne style.
A typical Richardson Romanesque characteristic includes rounded arches over porch supports, entry ways, or windows. Most often these arches were set on squat columns or massive piers or sometimes built directly into the wall. Arches were enhanced by masonry voussoirs (wedge-shaped cut stone).
Another identifying feature includes one or two rounded, squared or polygonal shaped towers with conical roofs.
Window characteristics included deeply recessed one-over-one sash windows, arched windows flanked by decorative columns, and window groupings of three or more.
Some locations where you're likely to find Romaesque style designs:
- Allegheny West Historic District, c. , (Historic), Pittsburgh City, Allegheny County PA
- Asylum Hill, c. , (Historic), Hartford City, Hartford County CT
- Beaver Historic District, c. , (Historic), Beaver Boro, Beaver County PA
- Berkeley Square, c. 1910, (Historic), Trenton City, Mercer County NJ
- Bloomsburg Historic District, c. , (Historic), Bloomsburg Town, Columbia County PA
- Broad Street Commercial Historic District, c. , (Historic), Richmond City, Independent Cities VA
- Brookville Historic District, c. 1830, (Historic), Brookville Boro, Jefferson County PA
- Butler Historic District, c. , (Historic), Butler City, Butler County PA
- Carnegie Free Library, c. 1893, (Historic), Braddock Boro, Allegheny County PA
- Catasauqua Residential Historic District, c. , (Historic), Catasauqua Boro, Lehigh County PA
- Center Square-Hudson Park, c. , (Historic), Albany City, Albany County NY
- Central Troy Historic District, c. , (Historic), Troy City, Rensselaer County NY
- Church Street Historic District, c. , (Historic), Nassau Village, Rensselaer County NY
- Coalport Historic District, c. 1875, (Historic), Coalport Boro, Clearfield County PA
- Columbia Historic District, c. , (Historic), Columbia Boro, Lancaster County PA
- Danville Historic District, c. , (Historic), Danville Boro, Montour County PA
- Delta Historic District, c. 1853, (Historic), Delta Boro, York County PA
- Dryden Historic District, c. , (Historic), Dryden Village, Tompkins County NY
- DuBois Historic District, c. , (Historic), DuBois City, Clearfield County PA
- East Side Historic District, c. , (Historic), Catskill Village, Greene County NY
- Ellsworth Historic District, c. , (Historic), Lafayette City, Tippecanoe County IN
- Elmira Civic Historic District, c. , (Historic), Elmira City, Chemung County NY
- Federal Hill Historic District, c. , (Historic), Lynchburg City, Independent Cities VA
- Fifth and Main Historic District, c. , (Historic), Richmond City, Independent Cities VA
- Forest Park Southeast District, c. , (Historic), St Louis City, Independent Cities MO
- Franklin Historic District, c. 1870, (Historic), Franklin City, Venango County PA
- Goldsboro Historic District, c. , (Historic), Goldsboro Boro, York County PA
- Hanover Historic District, c. , (Historic), Hanover Boro, York County PA
- Hanover Square Historic District, c. , (Historic), Horseheads Village, Chemung County NY
- Hermitage Road Historic District, c. , (Historic), Richmond City, Independent Cities VA
- Honesdale Residential Historic District, c. , (Historic), Honesdale Boro, Wayne County PA
- Horace Jayne Residence, c. 1928, (Historic), Philadelphia City, Philadelphia County PA
- Hudson Falls Historic District, c. , (Historic), Hudson Falls Village, Washington County NY
- Hudson Historic District, c. , (Historic), Hudson City, Columbia County NY
- Lackawanna Avenue Commercial Historic District, c. , (Historic), Scranton City, Lackawanna County PA
- Lansdowne Park, c. 1890, (Historic), Lansdowne Boro, Delaware County PA
- Lewisburg Historic District, c. , (Historic), Lewisburg Boro, Union County PA
- Mexican War Streets Historic District, c. 1860, (Historic), Pittsburgh City, Allegheny County PA
- Milford Historic District, c. , (Historic), Milford Boro, Pike County PA
- Millionaires Row Historic District, c. 1885, (Historic), Williamsport City, Lycoming County PA
- Milton Historic District, c. , (Historic), Milton Boro, Northumberland County PA
- Monument Avenue Historic District, c. , (Historic), Richmond City, Independent Cities VA
- Mount Union Historic District, c. , (Historic), Mount Union Boro, Huntingdon County PA
- North Hill Historic District, c. 1890, (Historic), New Castle City, Lawrence County PA
- Old Allegheny Rows Historic District, c. , (Historic), Pittsburgh City, Allegheny County PA
- Patton Historic District, c. , (Historic), Patton Boro, Cambria County PA
- Philippi Historic District, c. , (Historic), Philippi City, Barbour County WV
- Ridgway Historic District, c. , (Historic), Ridgway Boro, Elk County PA
- Shrewsbury Historic District, c. , (Historic), Shrewsbury Boro, York County PA
- Society Hill, c. , (Historic), Philadelphia City, Philadelphia County PA
- South Side Historic District, c. , (Historic), Oil City, Venango County PA
- Stockade Historic District, c. , (Historic), Schenectady City, Schenectady County NY
- Sunbury Historic District, c. 1772, (Historic), Sunbury_City, Northumberland County PA
- Titusville Historic District, c. , (Historic), Titusville City, Crawford County PA
- Tunkhannock Historic District, c. , (Historic), Tunkhannock Boro, Wyoming County PA
- Union Hill Historic District, c. , (Historic), Richmond City, Independent Cities VA
- Vandergrift Historic District, c. , (Historic), Vandergrift Boro, Westmoreland County PA
- Warren Historic District, c. , (Historic), Warren City, Warren County PA
- Watson-Curtze Mansion, c. 1892, (Historic), Erie City, Erie County PA
- Waverly Historic District, c. 1825, (Historic), Abington Twp, Lackawanna County PA
- Wellsboro Historic District, c. , (Historic), Wellsboro Boro, Tioga County PA
- West 21st Street Historic District, c. , (Historic), Erie City, Erie County PA
- West End Historic District, c. , (Historic), Norristown Boro, Montgomery County PA
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