Architectural Style
Folk Victorian
1880–1910
Style Overview
Folk Victorian in the SGV.
Modest vernacular counterpart to the elaborate Queen Anne, produced widely by builders working from pattern books and trade publications. Folk Victorian homes survive in the oldest neighborhoods of Pasadena, Monrovia, Sierra Madre, and the older parts of other SGV cities. Many examples have been heavily remodeled or replaced, and well-preserved examples in designated districts are increasingly rare.
Characteristics
Identifying Folk Victorian.
- Modest single-story or one-and-a-half-story massing
- Simple gabled roofs without towers or complex cross-gables
- Simple front porches with turned posts and minimal spindle work
- Wood clapboard or shingle siding
- Restrained decorative trim drawn from Queen Anne sources
- Symmetrical or near-symmetrical front elevation