Architectural Styles - French Colonial
Constructed as plantation houses from the early 1700s to the early 1800s, these rectangular structures were raised above ground-level cellars with the main floor of the second level and storage below. A gallery on the second level was on at least two sides and sometimes all four. A steep hipped roof was generally pierced by dormers on either two two sides or on all four. The number of rooms varied, but the floor plan never included hallways.
The smaller houses often had three rooms positioned side by side, while the larger houses might have two parallel rows of three rooms each. Small rooms called cabinets - commonly used for storage - were usually positioned at the rear outer corners of the house. Each room on the second level had French doors opening onto the gallery.
This house type was influenced by the buildings of the West Indies and represents a blending of French and Spanish influences.
The above description was taken from "New Orleans Houses, a House-Watcher's Guide" by Lloyd Vogt.
Some Examples of French Colonial Houses at the Bay
(Past and Present)
230 South Beach Boulevard |
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Claiborne Plantation |
900 North Beach Boulevard |
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