VERNACULAR PRAIRIE c. 1895 - 1930 The AMERICAN FOURSQUARE HOUSE
Vernacular Prairie
the American Foursquare and Prairie Box can be included in this style
the style is related to Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie House style but architectural plans were often acquired by mail order from catalogue companies like Sears
cast concrete imitating stone ("Ohio Brick"), brick, stone, stucco and sometimes wood are possible cladding materials
expect a box shape
a wide or full width front porch with rectangular support columns or even classical columns
a hipped roof and one and a half to two stories
a large, central dormer
a symmetrical facade with large, single pane windows
possible borrowings from Craftsman style
when built as a small, one story home it was often known as the "Working Man's Foursquare"
The Jay and Barbara Heisler House 331 N. Main St. Marine City
This home is a classic example of American Foursquare architectural design. It was built in 1912 and constructed of molded cement block in a simulation of rusticated stone work. The foundation suggests a rough rustication and upper stories a chamfered, or beveled rustication. The Foursquare family of Prairie styles is symmetrical with a generous porch.
The Jay and Barbara Heisler House
The house seen from the south east.
Note the gable detail of the porch roof and the dormer above.
