Guide to Mid-Century Houses

Want to know more about how to identify all the styles of mid-century houses around the country? Look no further than our style guide. We name the styles and highlight common components that help identify a style.

A FIELD GUIDE TO

MID-CENTURY HOUSES

WWW.MAKEITMIDCENTURY.COM

by Susan E. Halla | Make it Mid-Century, LLC

Second Edition

reproduced or used in any manner without written

permission of the copyright owner.

First edition published in blog form 11/2017

CONTENTSCONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ................... 2

TRADITIONAL ..................... 4

MINIMALTRADITIONAL.......... 5

THEREVIVALS..................11

NON-TRADITIONAL ................19

USONIAN......................21

LUSTRON......................25

INTERNATIONALSTYLE..........29

RANCHES ........................ 33

RAISEDRANCH.................35

SPLIT-LEVEL................... 39

TRI-LEVEL......................43

STORYBOOK...................47

MODERNS ...................... 51

MINIMALMODERN............53

EICHLER.....................57

ALEXANDER..................61

VACATION HOMES ...............65

A-FRAME.....................67

VACATIONCABIN..............71

LOGCABIN...................75

POPULUXE ......................79

GOOGIE......................81

SPACEAGE...................85

GEODESIC...................89

CONCLUSION ...................93

CREDITS ........................95

What does a mid-century house look like to you?

Asymmetrical?

High design?

Screams California?

Not so fast. Mid-century homes are everywhere, and

they come in all shapes, sizes, and styles. In fact, most

mid-century homes are not high-style mid-century

modern. There are quite a number of styles that can all

call themselves mid-century.

While everyone has a take on what years constitute

mid-century, for the purposes of this guide, we are

using the 1930s through the 1970s. Even though we’re

starting with the 1930s, the greatest contribution to

mid-century housing stock occurred starting in the mid-

to-late 1940s when men came back from WWII and

started having families. These early homes veered more

towards traditional styling as you’ll see at the beginning

of this guide.

Our guide will help to identify the styles and what

attributes to look for on your hunt for the (not so rare)

mid-century house.

INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION

Believe it or not, many mid-century homes are pretty

traditional. Simple shapes, hipped roofs, divided lite

windows and paneled doors are some of the traditional

hallmarks of these early mid-century homes. Don’t

judge a book by its cover; home exteriors can be

misleading – many of these traditional homes have

modern touches on their interiors.

TRADITIONALTRADITIONAL

193Os to 197Os

MINIMAL TRADITIONALMINIMAL TRADITIONAL

Your might be living right next door to a minimal

traditional and not even appreciate it for its mid-

century roots. Small and unassuming, these homes

have quite often been expanded throughout the years

and may no longer be recognized as a minimal design.

Clues would be traditional styling with multipaned

windows, brick or horizontal lap siding and very

traditional styles for the front door and shutters.

Levittown is a prime examples of minimal traditional

housing.

Besides their small size, minimal traditional homes are

also often less ornamented than their earlier peers

such as Craftsman homes. Particularly after the war,

minimal traditional homes were ubiquitous and the

smaller and less ornamented the homes were, the

easier and faster they were to construct and the

cheaper they were to buy, leading to a great number of

this style in existence today.

MODEST HOUSE WITH

SIMPLE MATERIALS

BASIC BOX SHAPE WITH ONE OR

ONE-AND-A-HALF STORIES

SIMPLE, TRADITIONAL

STYLINGS

GABLE ROOF

MINIMAL TRADITIONAL

MODEST HOUSE WITH

SIMPLE MATERIALS

MAIN HOUSE HAS BASIC

BOX SHAPE WITH ONE OR

ONE-AND-A-HALF

STORIES

SIMPLE, TRADITIONAL

ORNAMENTATION

GABLE ROOF SOMETIMES

INCLUDING DORMERS

GARAGE, MOST OFTEN

DETACHED, BUT MAY BE

PART OF THE HOME IN

LATER YEARS

MODEST HOUSE WITH

SIMPLE MATERIALS

BASIC BOX SHAPE WITH ONE OR

ONE-AND-A-HALF STORIES

SIMPLE, TRADITIONAL

STYLINGS

GABLE ROOF

MODEST HOUSE WITH

SIMPLE MATERIALS

BASIC BOX SHAPE WITH

ONE OR ONE-AND-A-HALF

STORIES

SIMPLE, TRADITIONAL

STYLINGS

GABLE ROOF

MINIMAL TRADITIONAL

THE REVIVALSTHE REVIVALS

The Revivals are just what the name implies – reworks

of the classic styles of early American architecture.

While the revival style dates back to the turn of the 20

century, mid-century revival style tends to be less

ornate and at a smaller scale. On Tudor revival homes,

Look for half-timbering and peaked door façades.

Colonial Revival is the most classic of the classic –

shutters, symmetry with porches and lean-to add-ons.

Colonial Revival might be seen in both one and two-

story options. Cape Cod revivals have steep roofs, with a

gable-front roof. Most Cape Cod Revivals are one-and-a-

half stories with dormers on the upper story. All of the

revivals are classic, classic, classic and tend to be small

(two to three bedrooms.)

TUDOR REVIVAL HAS STEEP,

GABLE-END ROOFS AT THE

FRONT OF THE HOUSE

CLASSIC STYLING – MATERIALS

OFTEN ARE BRICK, STONE OR

STUCCO, BUT CAN BE CLAPBOARD

MULTI-PANED WINDOWS ROUND OR ARCHED-TOP

WINDOWS OR DOORS

ESPECIALLY AT THE ENTRY

HALF-TIMBERING AT THE

EAVES AND GABLE ENDS.

MORE ELABORATE TUDOR

REVIVALS MAY BE STUCCO OR

PLASTER

DECORATIVE CHIMNEY

BRICKWORK

ROUND OR ARCHED-TOP

WINDOWS OR DOORS

CHIMNEY ANCHOR

PLATES

TUDOR REVIVAL

HIPPED OR

GAMBREL ROOFS

CLASSIC STYLING WITH

SIMPLE MATERIALS

OFTEN CLAPBOARD

MULTI-PANED WINDOWS

AND TRADITIONAL

SHUTTERS.

SYMMETRICAL

FRONT FAÇADE

HIPPED OR GAMBREL ROOFS

CLASSIC STYLING WITH

SIMPLE MATERIALS OFTEN

CLAPBOARD

TRADITIONAL SHUTTERS

SYMMETRICAL

FRONT FAÇADE

COLONIAL REVIVAL

STEEP ROOF PITCH

SHUTTERS AND OTHER

CLASSICAL NODS

GABLE FRONT ROOF WITH

DORMERS

SYMMETRICAL

FRONT FAÇADE

MULTI-PANED

WINDOWS

STEEP ROOF PITCH

SHUTTERS AND OTHER

CLASSICAL NODS

GABLE FRONT ROOF

WITH DORMERS

SYMMETRICAL

FRONT FACE

MULTI-PANED

WINDOWS

CAPE COD REVIVAL

There are a few housing styles from the early years of

mid-century homes that cannot be categorized as

anything but by their own style. We’re calling these

“non-traditional”.

While they are all in the non-traditional category, they

couldn’t be more different from one another. The first,

the Usonian style, is a mid-century housing style from

architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

ThesecondistheLustronhome;ahomethatisnon-

traditional in the building materials utilized for

construction along with its modern design while still

expressed in a traditional style.

Last is the International Style which impacted both

commercial and residential architecture.

NON-TRADITIONALNON-TRADITIONAL

193Os – 195Os

USONIANUSONIAN

Based on a concept devised by architect Frank Lloyd

Wright, the Usonian style is an off-shoot of the

architect’s earlier prairie style in a typically more

compact form.

The concept of Usonian is an architectural style that

responds to its site and feels organic. Frank Lloyd

Wright’s concept of Usonian architecture contrasted

sharply with the more traditional and often mass

produced homes of the time. The intention of the

Usonian style was to create affordable, small homes

which were individually designed and responded both

to the needs of each family and to the unique

requirements of the home’s location.

In Usonian architecture, look for long, low lines that

blend with the landscape with natural materials of

wood and stone. The Usonian style is attributed to be

the pre-cursor of the ranch home.

VERY LINEAR

DESIGN

NATURAL SETTING

AND MATERIALS

DECORATIVE ACCENTS

OFTEN GEOMETRIC

CAR PORT

(NO GARAGES)

CLERESTORY

WINDOWS

LINEAR DESIGN

NATURAL SETTING

AND MATERIALS

CLERESTORY

WINDOWS

DECORATIVE ACCENTS

OFTEN GEOMETRIC

CAR PORT

(NO GARAGES)

USONIAN

LUSTRONLUSTRON

A short-lived architectural style with distinct mid-

century design features and colors, Lustron was the

brainchild of Carl Strandlund.

Lustrons were proposed as a way to house the many

G.I.’s and their new families as well as a way to keep

wartime factories up and running. The Lustron house

was designed out of a porcelain enameled steel panel

system inside and out that could be factory stamped

and loaded onto specially built trucks and shipped

across the United States for assembly. Key features of

Lustron houses are their unique 24” x 24” metal panel

exterior wall along with their stamp-formed steel roof

shingles.

Lustron came in two-bedroom models and later in

three-bedrooms. The homes came in four colors: Maize

Yellow, Dove Grey, Surf Blue and Desert Tan. The houses

are typically slab-on-grade and one popular style

incorporates a cut-out corner with a splayed, zig-zag

column.

24X24 METAL

PANEL SKIN

STAMPED METAL

ROOF SHINGLES

ZIG-ZAG CORNER

POST

ORIGINAL METAL TRIM AND

ALUMINUM WINDOWS

24X24 METAL

PANEL SKIN

STAMPED METAL

ROOF SHINGLES

ZIG-ZAG

CORNER POST

ORIGINAL

METAL TRIM

LUSTRON

INTERNATIONAL STYLEINTERNATIONAL STYLE

International style buildings consist of very rectilinear

forms with no ornamentation. They rely on new

methods of construction; steel and concrete, and

sometimes incorporate cantilevers into the design. The

new materials also allows for great expanses of floor-

to-ceiling glass and little to no structural supports in

the interior creating open floor plans. Roofs are almost

always flat, accentuating the long lines of the buildings.

Most international style buildings are painted white or

very light colors. If traditional-style windows are

utilized, they are ganged together to form large, long

planes of windows that sometime form corners on the

building. Early international style buildings may have

multi-paned steel casement-style windows in lieu of the

large sheets of glass found in later designs.

International style homes were often larger and geared

more towards the upper class homeowner.

FLAT ROOF AND LONG

RECTILINEAR FORM

PREDOMINATELY

WHITE BODY

CANTILEVERED

DESIGN

EXPOSED STRUCTURE AND

LARGE EXPANSES OF GLASS

FLAT ROOF AND LONG

RECTILINEAR FORM

PREDOMINATE

WHITE BODY

EXPOSED STEEL

STRUCTURE

LARGE EXPANSES OF

HORIZONTAL GLASS

INTERNATIONAL STYLE

Also known as Ramblers, Ranch-style homes became

popular in mid-century for their open floor plans

(sound familiar?) and modern styling.

Typical ranch-style homes are long and often low. Look

for overhanging eaves with picture windows in the living

areas and simple double-hung windows in the separate

bedroom portion.

Ranches are often one-story, but multiple story versions

exist. The backs of ranch homes often open up to patios

and yards through sliding glass doors. Trim details are

simple, and materials include brick, stone, and siding.

Siding is often vertical board and batten or brick and

occasionally a horizontal lap.

THE RANCHESTHE RANCHES

194Os – 197Os

RAISED RANCHRAISED RANCH

A raised ranch contains the stylings of a traditional

ranch while adding a finished basement level to the

home. The entry of a raised ranch is half-way between

levels, with stairs leading up to the main floor where

you would find bedrooms and public spaces and stairs

down to the garage and finished basement areas such

as rec rooms.

The Raised Ranch is often mis-labeled a split-level.

FLOOR

FLOOR HALF

BELOW GRADE

ENTRY DOOR AT MID-LEVEL OF

FLOORS – MUST GO UP OR DOWN

STAIRS UPON ENTRY

FLOOR

FLOOR HALF BELOW

GRADE

ENTRY DOOR AT MID-LEVEL OF

FLOORS – MUST GO UP OR DOWN

STAIRS UPON ENTRY

RAISED RANCH

SPLIT-LEVEL RANCHSPLIT-LEVEL RANCH

A split-level ranch enters into the main living area living

area (living, dining, kitchen), with steps down a half-

level to the finished family/rec room and garage and

steps up a level to the bedrooms and bath. The Split-

Level differs from the Raised Ranch in that the entry to

thehomeisononeofthefloors(mostoftenthemain

level with the public rooms) whereas the Raised Ranch

has a stairwell to go up or down immediately upon

entry. This style may also be referred to as a Side-Split

or a Back-Split depending on the location of the two-

level “split” portion of the home.

UPPER LEVEL

(BEDROOMS AND BATH)

LOWER LEVEL (REC ROOM,

GARAGE ENTRY)

MAIN PUBLIC ROOMS (LIVING

ROOM, KITCHEN) AT THE ENTRY

LEVEL OF THE HOME.

UPPER LEVEL

(BEDROOMS AND BATH)

LOWER LEVEL (REC

ROOM, GARAGE ENTRY)

MAIN PUBLIC ROOMS (LIVING

ROOM, KITCHEN) AT THE

ENTRY LEVEL OF THE HOME.

SPLIT-LEVEL RANCH

TRI-LEVEL RANCHTRI-LEVEL RANCH

Similar to a raised ranch, a tri-level ranch has an entry

on grade into a vestibule or hallway. From the vestibule

you can go up or down a step into the living room and

kitchen areas, up a half-flight to bedrooms and baths,

or down a half flight to the garage and rec rooms. Often

you can only identify a tri-level from the inside

floorplan. From the outside, it may appear to be either a

raised ranch or split-level.

ENTRY INTO VESTIBULE OR

HALLWAY

TWO-STORY SECTION OF

HOUSE, LOWER LEVEL

CONTAINS GARAGE AND

REC ROOM.

ONE-STORY SECTION OF HOUSE

WITH LIVING ROOM AND KITCHEN,

DOWN A HALF-STEP FROM ENTRY.

TWO-STORY SECTION OF

HOUSE – UPPER LEVEL

CONTAINS BEDS AND BATHS.

UPPER LEVEL

(BEDROOMS AND BATH)

LOWER LEVEL (REC

ROOM, GARAGE, ENTRY)

MAIN PUBLIC ROOMS (LIVING

ROOM, KITCHEN) UP A HALF LEVEL

FROM ENTRY

ENTRY INTO VESTIBULE

OR HALLWAY

TRI-LEVEL RANCH

STORYBOOK RANCH

Storybook ranches can be any of the ranch

configurations but dressed in fairy-tale finery.

Storybook ranches often have a gable-front section with

ornamental fascia trim along the peak. These ranches

will often have decorative window panes such as a

diamond motif. Storybook ranches may also have a

combination of simple and patterned sidings such as

decoratively shaped shingles. Look, too, for decorative

shutters and in some instances, dovecotes in the gable

peak.

DECORATIVE

FASCIA BOARDS

DOVECOTES

EXPOSED

RAFTER TAILS

DECORATIVE

WINDOW MUNTIN

DECORATIVE

SHUTTERS

DECORATIVE

FASCIA BOARDS

EXPOSED RAFTER

TAILS

DECORATIVE

WINDOW MUNTINS

AND SHUTTERS

STORYBOOK RANCH

When someone uses the general term “mid-century” to

describe a house, mid-century modern is what most

often comes to mind. Elements of modern houses are

picture and casement windows, bold geometric shapes

and large overhanging eaves. Roof lines are low and

often with an interesting shape.

MODERNSMODERNS

195Os – 197Os

There are many minimal modern houses from the mid-

century period. They are often smaller than the

sprawling mid-century modern ranch homes that we

most-often think of and have less grand-scale details.

The hallmarks of the classic modern exist in the picture

window styles and overhanging eaves, but the

geometric shapes are often understated. These homes

also tend to have a smaller footprint.

MINIMAL MODERNMINIMAL MODERN

LOW HIPPED ROOF WITH

LARGE OVERHANGS

HORIZONTAL

ACCENTS IN STONE

OR BRICK

LARGE PICTURE

WINDOWS

MAY STILL HAVE SOME

TRADITIONAL TOUCHES

LIKE SHUTTERS

MODERN ACCENTS

LOW HIPPED ROOF WITH

LARGE OVERHANGS

ROMAN BRICK

ACCENT

CORNER WINDOWSMAY STILL HAVE SOME

TRADITIONAL TOUCHES

LIKE SHUTTERS

MODERN ACCENTS

MINIMAL MODERN

A house type synonymous with its developer, Joseph

Eicher, these homes are ranch-style in their overall

horizontality and eave lines. Typical Eichler details

include exposed rafter tails, flat or low-sloped roofs

with gable-end glazing, interior courtyards and wood

and glass construction. Location is also key to spotting

an Eichler – they are located in both northern and

southern California. One caveat – Eicher did build three

homes in Chestnut Ridge, New York, but if you see a

similar house outside of these areas, it is not an Eichler.

EICHLEREICHLER

VERY LOW SLOPE

OR FLAT ROOF

WOOD POST AND BEAM

CONSTRUCTION WITH

EXPOSED RAFTER TAILS

LARGE EXPANSES

OF GLASS

VERTICAL WOOD

SIDING

LOW SLOPE OR

FLAT MAIN ROOF

WOOD POST AND BEAM

CONSTRUCTION WITH

PROMINENT RAFTER TAILS

GRAY OR BROWN FIELD

COLORS. MAY HAVE POPS OF

COLORS AT BEAMS

VERTICAL WOOD

SIDING

CENTRAL

ATRIUM

EICHLER

Alexander homes were built by the Alexander

Construction Company in collaboration with architects

like William Krisel. Palm Springs, California is the place

to find these beauties. Alexander homes are similar to

Eichler ranches in their minimalistic and

indoor/outdoor design. The distinctive rooflines of

Alexander homes often give them away: butterfly,

slanted and exaggerated gables. Decorative concrete

blocks (breeze blocks) were also often part of the

design. The expansive use of glass brings the outdoors

in in Alexander homes. Like Eichlers you will see

exposed rafter tails and post and beam construction.

ALEXANDERALEXANDER

DISTINCTIVE ROOF LINES

WOOD POST AND BEAM

CONSTRUCTION

MINIMAL GLASS ON THE STREET – FRONT

ELEVATION WITH SUBSTANTIAL GLASS

FACING THE PRIVATE YARD, OFTEN WITH A

POOL

DISTINCTIVE ROOF LINES

WOOD POST AND BEAM

CONSTRUCTION

CONCRETE BREEZE BLOCK

ACCENTS

ALEXANDER

The post-war boom in home building was a large

impact on the family home, but was also felt in the

vacation home field. Vacation homes became a must-

have goal for the burgeoning middle-class and home

buildings and plan books were at the ready. From

winter homes in the mountains to homes at the beach

or lake and motor cabins for tourists on their way to

their second homes, plan books covered the gamut.

Vacation homes could be found in all different styles,

from traditional to modern or even new styles like A-

frames and many combinations thereof.

VACATION HOMESVACATION HOMES

195Os – 197Os

A-frame homes are named such that their shape

resembles the capital letter “A” with the steeply peaked

rooflines coming almost all the way to the ground. The

style was easy to construct and quite compact and was

often constructed as a second vacation home for mid-

century families. One or both ends of the A-frame are

often fully glazed, perfect for a vacation home situated

in an idyllic location in the woods, on a lake or in the

mountains.

A-FRAMEA-FRAME

“A” SHAPE

CONSTRUCTION

WOOD FRAME

CONSTRUCTION

GLAZING ON THE

FRONT FACE

“A” SHAPE

CONSTRUCTION

WOOD FRAME

CONSTRUCTION

GLAZING ON THE

FRONT FACE

A-FRAME

Whether mid-century vacation cabins were multiple-

bedroom large houses in vacation locations, or just a

simple rental cabin in the woods, vacation cabins were

a popular purchase during mid-century. Some cabins

carried the hallmarks of traditional mid-century while

other displayed more of the modern aspects of mid-

century architecture. Smaller cabins were often one

room with built-in bunks or divider curtains to make

bedrooms come nightfall. Cabins were often made of

simple materials – clapboard or vertical wood siding

but included windows – often large picture windows –

to capture the setting.

Motor courts in the early mid-century were often made

up of multiple, small, one-room cabins in lieu of the

more traditional motel with think of today.

VACATION CABINVACATION CABIN

HALLMARKS OF MID-CENTURY

DESIGN SUCH AS LOW

PITCHED ROOFS AND

OVERHANGS.

MOST OFTEN WOOD

CONSTRUCTION

SUBSTANTIAL GLAZING

TO TAKE IN VIEWS

WOOD SIDING

HALLMARKS OF MID-CENTURY

DESIGN SUCH AS LOW

PITCHED ROOFS

MOST OFTEN WOOD

CONSTRUCTION

SUBSTANTIAL GLAZING

TO TAKE IN VIEWS

WOOD SIDING

VACATION CABIN

With the popularity of vacation homes, log cabins made

a resurgence during mid-century. While still constructed

via traditional methods, mid-century log cabins had

more hallmarks of mid-century design with shallow roof

pitches and overhanging eaves. Large picture windows

were also popular allow natural views into the log-faced

interiors.

LOG CABINLOG CABIN

HALLMARKS OF MID-CENTURY

DESIGN SUCH AS LOW

PITCHED ROOFS AND

OVERHANGS.

FLAT OR ROUND LOG

CONSTRUCTION

PICTURE AND CORNER

WINDOWS

MID-CENTURY ACCENTS

HALLMARKS OF MID-CENTURY

DESIGN SUCH AS LOW

PITCHED ROOFS AND

OVERHANGS.

FLAT OR ROUND LOG

CONSTRUCTION

PICTURE WINDOWS

LOG CABIN

Never heard of the word “Populuxe”? The Populuxe term

comes from a mash-up of the terms popular and luxury

and came about in the later mid-century with the rise

of the consumer culture. While the styles under the

Populuxe umbrella greatly vary, one of the defining

characteristics are futuristic shapes and eye-catching

design.

POPULUXEPOPULUXE

195Os – 197Os

Googie is a style associated with commercial buildings

which originated in California. Think “The Jetsons” with

bright, primary colors, a plethora of neon and bright

lights with bold geometric forms. Starbursts,

boomerangs and other geometric forms are closely

associated with the Googie style and were co-opted for

residential design. Googie is also sometimes referred to

as “Doo-wop”, particularly where the style infiltrated the

east coast. While we mention the east and west coasts

here, Googie architecture can be found throughout the

country. Colorful, optimistic and fun, Googie

architecture is smile-inducing in its playful nature.

GOOGIEGOOGIE

SUBSTANTIAL COLOR

(DAY) AND NEON (NIGHT)

BOLD GEOMETRIC SHAPES

FLYING ROOF LINE

COMMERCIAL BUILDING

BOLD GEOMETRIC

SHAPES

FLYING ROOF

LINE

COMMERCIAL

BUILDING

GOOGIE

Space Age architecture take futurism to the extreme,

often appearing to be alien ships which have landed

here on earth. Other influences of the era where the

space race between the United States and Soviet Union

as well as other scientific discoveries. One residential

home that most exemplifies the space age style is the

Futuro homes designed by Matti Suuronen. Only 100

Futuro houses were ever built. Other similar space-

craft-inspired houses are scattered throughout the

United States and other commercial architecture show

the space-age influence.

The Space Age style may be considered a further subset

of the Googie style.

SPACE AGESPACE AGE

FORMS REMINISCENT OF

SPACE TRAVEL AND SCIENCE

SUBSTANTIAL GLAZING

BOLD SHAPES

REMINISCENT OF SPACE

TRAVEL AND SCIENCE

SUBSTANTIAL GLAZING BOLD SHAPES

SPACE AGE

Popularized by Buckminster Fuller in the early 1950’s,

geodesic forms are created of interlocking triangles to

create a domed appearance. The structure of the

Geodesic style is very different than that of a traditional

home which, with its system of load-bearing columns or

walls and beams, is a compressive structure, whereas

the geodesic form is in tension. Geodesic homes are

said to be very energy efficient and are still available for

purchase today.

GEODESICGEODESIC

DOMED SHAPE

TRIANGULAR STRUCTURE

TRIANGULAR

STRUCTURE

DOMED SHAPE

GEODESIC

The National Register of Historic Places considers 50

years the age at which a property is deemed historic.

Most (if not all) of these mid-century beauties have now

reached that prime age, but they are still in danger.

Why? Most of these structures, even at the age of 50+,

are considered the recent past, and if it’s in the memory

of those people still alive, then it can’t be historical, can

it? Furthermore, everyday or vernacular structures and

those that are not “high-style” or have an architectural

pedigree are often not considered worthy. These are the

structures we lose daily, to tear-downs and redesigns

and remuddlings. Perhaps the only way to preserve

many of these structures is through documentation

such as the guide you have before you, but we certainly

hope not. Now it’s time to grab your camera and go out

there to photograph some of these styles in the wild.

Happy hunting!

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

CREDITSCREDITS

Page 7: The Bristol, from the 1958 Aladdin Redi-Cut

Catalogue. Public Domain Mark 1.0.

Page 8: House number 5305 from Garlinghouse

1955 Plans for New Homes - Public Domain

Mark 1.0

Page 9: A minimal traditional home in Portland,

Oregon. CC BY-SA 4.0. Photographer: Ian

Poellet.

Page 10: A minimal traditional home in Knoxville,

Tennessee. CC BY-SA 3.0. Photographer:

Brian Stansberry.

Page 13: A Tudor Revival home Model 24 from the

1955 Garlinghouse Plans for New Homes.

Public Domain Mark 1.0.

Page 14: A Tudor Revival house in Los Angeles,

California. CC BY-SA 3. Carson Willington.

Page 15: The Tacoma, a Colonial Revival house from

the 1958 Aladdin Redi-Cut Homes catalog.

Public Domain Mark 1.0.

Page 16: A Dutch Colonial Revival in Sauk Prairie,

Wisconsin. CC BY-SA 3.0. Photographer:

Corey Coyle.

Page 17: A Cape Cod Revival house from the 1955

Garlinghouse Plans for New Homes. Public

Domain Mark 1.0.

Page 18: A Cape Cod Revival in Middleton,

Wisconsin. CC BY-SA 3.0. Photographer:

Corey Coyle.

Page 23: Laurel, a 1956 Usonian home designed by

Frank Lloyd Wright in Wilmington,

Delaware. CC0. Photographer: Smallbones.

Page 24: The Melvyn Maxwell & Sara Stein Smith

Usonian home designed by Frank Lloyd

Wright in 1950 in Bloomfield Township,

Michigan. CC BY-SA 3.0. Photographer:

Andrew Jameson.

Page 27: Lustron home in surf blue, Jamestown, New

York. CC0. Photographer: Nyttend.

Page 28: Lustron in Maize Yellow in Huron, South

Dakota. CC0. Photographer: Ammodramus.

Page 31: The Farnsworth house by Mies Van Der

Rohe from 1951. CC BY-SA 2.0.

Photographer: Marco 2000.

Page 32: The Inadomi House by Richard Neutra from

1960. CC BY-SA 4.0 International.

Photographer: MichaelJLocke.

Page 37: House number 9714 from the 1963

Garlinghouse All American Homes catalog.

Public Domain 1.0.

Page 38: Raised Ranch or Bi-Level Ranch in a

Colonial Revival style. CC BY-SA 3.0.

Photographer: Adamwe12.

Page 41: A split-level ranch, number 705 by National

Plan Service in their 1961 Multi-Level

Homes catalog. CC0 1.0 Universal.

Page 41: House model 705 from the Multi-Level

Homes catalog from National Plan Service

1961. CC 1.0 Universal.

Page 42: The Des Moine split-level from the 1963

Miles Homes catalogue. Public Domain

Mark 1.0.

Page 45: The Cornell, a tri-level ranch in the 1958

Aladdin Redi-Cut Homes brochure. Public

Domain Mark 1.0.

Page 46: Tri-Level home. CC BY-SA3.0. Photographer:

Adamwe12.

Page 49: A storybook ranch from the Hiawatha T.

Estes house plan book Prize Homes from

1969. CC0 1.0 Universal.

Page 50: Storybook Ranch, Lodi, California. Google

Maps 2012.

Page 55: Minimal Modern home Model 1856 from

the Garlinghouse New Small Homes

catalog, 10

Edition. Public Domain Mark

1.0.

Page 56: Minimal Modern home in St. Louis,

Missouri. CC0. Photograph by author.

Page 59: Eichler Home from the 1955 Eichler Catalog.

Public Domain Mark 1.0.

Page 55: The 1962-64 Foster Residence by Joseph

Eichler in the Balboa Heights

neighborhood of Granada Hills, California.

CC BY-SA 3.0. Photographer: LosAngeles.

Page 63: Alexander Butterfly home by William Krisel

in Palm Springs, California. CC BY 2.0.

Photographer: Randy Heinitz.

Page 64: Alexander home in Palm Springs,

California. Carol M. Highsmith's America,

Library of Congress, Prints and

Photographs Division. No known

restrictions.

Page 69: The Ranger A-Frame cabin from the

Douglas Fir Plywood Association’s Second

Homes for Leisure Living published in 1960.

CC0 1.0 Universal.

Page 70: A-Frame cabin on Turtle Lake in

Saskatchewan from the 1950’s. CC BY-SA 3.0

Unported. Photographer: Regriemer.

Page 73: Vacation Home - National Plan Service

Summer Living 1953 - Public Doman Mark

1.0

Page 74: The Rainier vacation Cabin from the 1961

Weyerhaeuser Gracious Outdoor Living

catalog. CC 1.0 Universal

Page 77: Georgia plan No. 20-A log cabin from the

1957 Pioneer Log Cabin Co. Book of Plans.

Public Domain Mark 1.0.

Page 78: The Chippy vacation home as seen in 1956.

Use by permission from Crow Wing Crest

1OO

1O1

Page 83: Googie restaurant in La Cienga, California.

CC BY-2.0 Generic. Photographer: Sharon

VanderKaay.

Page 84: Googie flying saucer Starbucks in St. Louis,

Missouri. CC BY-2.0 Generic. Photographer:

Paul Sableman.

Page 87: Futuro House in Pensacola Beach, Florida.

CC BY-SA 2.0. Photographer: TimothyJ.

Page 88: LAX (Los Angeles Airport) control tower in

Los Angeles, California. CC BY-SA 2.0.

Photographer: Jeff Turner.

Page 91: The 1960 Buckminster Fuller Home in

Carbondale, Illinois. CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photographer: Communityhelper1000.

Page 92: The 1963 Cinerama Theater in Hollywood,

California. CC0. Photographer: UpdateNerd.

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