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The name, Second Empire, referred to a style that developed during the "Second French Republic" (or "Empire" – the era following France's 1848 Revolution) and principally during the time of Emperor Napoleon III. The Emperor charged Baron Haussmann to transform Paris into "the world's city of high fashion." Attendees from around the globe at the Paris expositions (1855 and 1867) helped spread the popularity of the style beyond France.
France lost its war with Prussia in 1870, Paris became less influential as a "center of fashion," and by the 1880s the popularity of the style gave way to new fads like the Queen Anne style for residences (circa 1870-1900).
Late 19th century Second Empire designs are common in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States. Second Empire was considered very modern and inspiring ... after all, it began in Paris. It became popular for remodeling older buildings as well as new construction and was adapted to a wide variety of projects: public buildings, commercial structures, museums, college buidlings, hotels, and, of course, residences. This style was used for many public buildings in America during the presidency of Ulysses S. Grant (1869-1877).
A main characteristic of Second Empire is the Mansard roof (double pitched hip roof). It is named for Parisian architect, Francois Mansart (1598-1666), noted for his introduction of a simplified Baroque style to France. He often used the roof style in his designs; the upper part usually intersects with a flat roof which extends over the middle of the building. One advantage of the "Mansard roof" was that it allowed for commodious upper-attic storage space.
Molded cornices above and below the lower roof slope and decorative brackets beneath eaves, balconies and bay windows also help to identify the Second Empire style.
There are a number of other identifying features which may or may not have been used, such as, roofing materials with decorative patterns of color and textures; iron cresting above the upper cornice; arched windows; small entry porch with paired columns; paired entry doors, sometimes with glass in top half; one or two-story bay windows; one-story porch; rectangular or square tower which could be of equal height or higher of the top most floor, typically with a mansard roof and small dormer window in each side.
Exteriors were varied, typically wood, brick, or stone.
Some locations where you're likely to find Second-Empire style homes:
- Allison Hill, c. 1895, (Historic), Harrisburg City, Dauphin County PA
- Armstrong Knitting Factory, c. , (Historic), Charlottesville City, Independent Cities VA
- Asylum Hill, c. , (Historic), Hartford City, Hartford County CT
- Beaver Historic District, c. , (Historic), Beaver Boro, Beaver County PA
- Bedford Historic District, c. , (Historic), Bedford Boro, Bedford County PA
- Bridgewater Historic District, c. 1818, (Historic), Bridgewater Boro, Beaver County PA
- Broad Avenue Historic District, c. 1910, (Historic), Altoona City, Blair County PA
- Brookville Historic District, c. 1830, (Historic), Brookville Boro, Jefferson County PA
- Butler Historic District, c. , (Historic), Butler City, Butler County PA
- Cambridge Historic District, c. , (Historic), Cambridge Village, Washington County NY
- Center Square-Hudson Park, c. , (Historic), Albany City, Albany County NY
- Chestnut Hill, c. , (Historic), Philadelphia City, Philadelphia County PA
- Church Hill North, c. , (Historic), Richmond City, Independent Cities VA
- Church Street Historic District, c. , (Historic), Nassau Village, Rensselaer County NY
- Churchville, c. 1784, (Historic), Northampton Twp, Bucks County PA
- Claverack Hamlet, c. , (Historic), Claverack Town, Columbia County NY
- Coalport Historic District, c. 1875, (Historic), Coalport Boro, Clearfield County PA
- Cold Spring Historic District, c. , (Historic), Cold Spring Village, Putnam County NY
- Danville Historic District, c. , (Historic), Danville Boro, Montour County PA
- Delanson Historic District, c. , (Historic), Delanson Village, Schenectady County NY
- Downtown Fulton Historic District, c. , (Historic), Fulton City, Callaway County MO
- Dryden Historic District, c. , (Historic), Dryden Village, Tompkins County NY
- East Side Historic District, c. , (Historic), Catskill Village, Greene County NY
- East York Historic District, c. , (Historic), Springettsbury Twp, York County PA
- Ellsworth Historic District, c. , (Historic), Lafayette City, Tippecanoe County IN
- Elmira Civic Historic District, c. , (Historic), Elmira City, Chemung County NY
- Elmwood Historic District, c. , (Historic), Providence City, Providence County RI
- Emlenton Historic District, c. , (Historic), Emlenton Boro, Venango County PA
- Everett Historic District, c. 1795, (Historic), Everett Boro, Bedford County PA
- Fairmount Historic District, c. , (Historic), York City, York County PA
- Federal Hill Historic District, c. , (Historic), Lynchburg City, Independent Cities VA
- Fifeville-Castle Hill Historic District, c. , (Historic), Charlottesville City, Independent Cities VA
- Forest Park Southeast District, c. , (Historic), St Louis City, Independent Cities MO
- Fountain Hill Historic District, c. , (Historic), Bethlehem City, Northampton County PA
- Franklin Historic District, c. 1870, (Historic), Franklin City, Venango County PA
- Franklin Square Historic District, c. , (Historic), Saratoga Springs City, Saratoga County NY
- Fretz Mansion, c. 1879, (Historic), Doylestown Twp, Bucks County PA
- Hanover Historic District, c. , (Historic), Hanover Boro, York County PA
- Hanover Square Historic District, c. , (Historic), Horseheads Village, Chemung County NY
- Honesdale Residential Historic District, c. , (Historic), Honesdale Boro, Wayne County PA
- Hudson Historic District, c. , (Historic), Hudson City, Columbia County NY
- Ivyland Historic District, c. , (Historic), Ivyland Boro, Bucks County PA
- Lansdowne Park, c. 1890, (Historic), Lansdowne Boro, Delaware County PA
- Lewisburg Historic District, c. , (Historic), Lewisburg Boro, Union County PA
- Liberty Street Historic District, c. , (Historic), Bath Village, Steuben County NY
- Lower Village Historic District, c. , (Historic), Athens Village, Greene County NY
- Manheim Borough Historic District, c. , (Historic), Manheim Boro, Lancaster County PA
- McConnellsburg Historic District, c. , (Historic), McConnellsburg Boro, Fulton 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
- Mill Hill, c. , (Historic), Trenton City, Mercer County NJ
- Millionaires Row Historic District, c. 1885, (Historic), Williamsport City, Lycoming County PA
- Milton Historic District, c. , (Historic), Milton Boro, Northumberland County PA
- Mount Pleasant Historic District, c. , (Historic), Mount Pleasant Boro, Westmoreland County PA
- Newport Historic District, c. , (Historic), Newport Boro, Perry County PA
- North East Historic District, c. , (Historic), North East Boro, Erie County PA
- North Hill Historic District, c. 1890, (Historic), New Castle City, Lawrence County PA
- North Side Historic District, c. , (Historic), Oil City, Venango County PA
- Northumberland Historic District, c. 1829, (Historic), Northumberland Boro, Northumberland County PA
- Old Town Historic District, c. 1875, (Historic), Clearfield Boro, Clearfield County PA
- Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, c. 1882, (Historic), Philadelphia City, Philadelphia_County PA
- Queen Anne Historic District, c. , (Historic), Reading City, Berks County PA
- Rhinebeck Historic MRA, c. , (Historic), Rhinebeck Town, Dutchess County NY
- Ridgway Historic District, c. , (Historic), Ridgway Boro, Elk County PA
- Robidoux Hill Historic District, c. , (Historic), St Joseph City, Buchanan County MO
- Saltsburg Historic District, c. 1830, (Historic), Saltsburg Boro, Indiana County PA
- Samuel Warden House, c. , (Historic), Mount Pleasant Boro, Westmoreland County PA
- South Wayne Historic District, c. , (Historic), Radnor Twp, Delaware County PA
- Spannuth Mill, c. 1891, (Historic), Bethel Twp, Berks County PA
- Sunbury Historic District, c. 1772, (Historic), Sunbury_City, Northumberland County PA
- Tamaqua Historic District, c. 1831, (Historic), Tamaqua Boro, Schuylkill County PA
- Titusville Historic District, c. , (Historic), Titusville City, Crawford County PA
- Towanda Historic District, c. , (Historic), Towanda Boro, Bradford County PA
- Union Street Historic District, c. , (Historic), Schenectady City, Schenectady County NY
- Verbeck House, c. 1889, (Historic), Ballston Spa Village, Saratoga County NY
- Warren Historic District, c. , (Historic), Warren City, Warren County PA
- Waynesburg Historic District, c. , (Historic), Waynesburg Boro, Greene County PA
- Wellsboro Historic District, c. , (Historic), Wellsboro Boro, Tioga County PA
- West End Historic District, c. , (Historic), Norristown Boro, Montgomery County PA
- West Sixth Street Historic District, c. , (Historic), Erie City, Erie County PA
- Westmont Historic District, c. , (Historic), Westmont Boro, Cambria County PA
- William Austin House, c. 1870, (Historic), Trumansburg Village, Tompkins County NY
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