ARCHITECTURAL STYLES OF S AVANNAH

Southern Colonial, 1734-1820: Illustrated by simple, narrow wooden houses with two or three rooms on the ground floor, a loft above, and steeply pitched roofs. Example: 426 E. St. Julian St., a colonial-style cottage built for Henry Willink in 1845.

Georgian, 1735-1790: Characterized by symmetrical composition, and enriched by classical details such as Palladian windows, it features a doorway set in a central projecting element. Example: The house built circa-1789 at 23 Abercorn St. for James Habersham Jr., now the Olde Pink House Restaurant. Federal, 1790-1820: Defined by square or rectangular plain, brick exteriors, with delicate, white painted detailing and artful fanlights over the doorway. Its name reflected America’s newly won independence. Example: The Isaiah Davenport House Museum at 324 E. State St.

Regency, 1811-1830: Championed by English architect William Jay, this style was opulent, powerful and pricey. It featured elements of both Roman and Greek architecture, and, in Jay’s hands, was marked by strict symmetry and such sleek innovations as an arched bridge that connects upper-floor rooms. Example: The Owens-Thomas House Museum at 124 Abercorn St. Gree Revival, 1820-1860: Connected to the culture and virtues of ancient Greece by several design elements, particularly columned porches and pediments, it was the choice of many prominent Savannahians, including Henry McAlpin, whose storied mansion, the Hermitage, stood along the Savannah River from 1820 until 1935, when it was demolished. Example: The Harper Fowlkes House at 230 Barnard

St. (center column, below)

Gothic Revival, 1840-1890: Often crowned by battlements or adorned by arches, this luxurious style also brought crenellation to a high level, placed windows in turrets and made extensive use of iron in porches and entrances. John Norris was a master of it in Savannah. Example: The GreenMeldrim House at 14 W. Macon St. is considered one of the finest Gothic Revival residences in the nation.

Italianate, 1840-1890: Inspired by the farm houses of northern Italy, this approach is often depicted by wide, overhanging eaves. Generally square in shape, Italianate houses were often decorated with cast-iron porches. Example: The Mercer-Williams House Museum (above) on Monterey Square, originally designed by John Norris and completed by DeWitt Bruyn.

Richardsonian Romanesque, 1840-1900: It featured the classic Roman arch and conveyed a sense of weight and importance with thick entryways and massive masonry walls. Its primary practitioner in Savannah was the Boston architect William Gibbons Preston. Nationally, it was often used on city halls, schools and libraries. Example: The Savannah Volunteer Guards Armory (now SCAD’s Poetter Hall) on Madison Square. similar to Gothic Revival, Queen Anne displayed many asymmetrical decorative touches, including arches, towers, turrets, tall brick chimneys, columns, porthole windows and porches. Alfred S. Eichberg made a number of distinctive Savannah houses in this style. Example: The William Kehoe House (now a bed and breakfast) at 123 Habersham St.

Second Empire, 1860-1890: Popularized in France, it emphasized verticality with tall windows, often topped with pediments to lend even more height, and elongated chimneys. Its most distinctive feature was the mansard roof, which stylishly capped the building and added a floor of usable space. Example: The Hamilton-Turner House

Queen Anne, 1860-1900: Somewhat (now an inn) on Lafayette Square.

Sullivanesque, 1890-1920: Named for Chicago architect Louis Sullivan, it represented an early skyscraper design. The buildings were delineated by specific segments – ground floor, intermediate floors and the roof. A prime Savannah example is the Citizens Bank (now SCAD’s Propes Hall), built in 1895 at the intersection of Drayton and Bryan streets. Its many features include four porthole windows.

Beaux Arts Classicism, 1900- 1920, and Neo Classicism, 1900-1920: Combined in the 1904-1906 construction of Savannah City Hall (opposite page) by architect Hyman W. Witcover, these classical styles share many characteristics, including balustraded balconies, pedimented windows, smooth upper-story masonry walls, a symmetrical façade and a rusticated first story. Originally copper, the building’s distinctive dome has been covered by gold leaf since 1987.