The Georgian Style

The Georgian style was the building style that was popular in England and the American colonies during the 1700's and early 1800's. Based on ideas and principals of design developed during the Italian Renaissance, the style reflects symmetry and balance. The style was named after King George I, who ruled England in the early 1700's. American colonists became aware of the Georgian style by reading English architectural manuals and pattern books of the time. The colonists wanted their homes to convey the same sense of dignity and prestige as the English, and the Georgian style reflected this. Wildly popular in England, Georgian style houses provided a way for the American colonists to imitate the English ideals of good taste and fashion.

Windsor Houses

Windsor was a wealthy community during the Revolutionary War era, and there are many fine examples of Georgian architecture to be seen. The houses shown on this site are all listed in the Town of Windsor Historic Survey, conducted by the Windsor Planning Department in 1981. The cutoff date for construction was set at 1785, shortly after the end of the Revolutionary War. Not all of the Colonial era houses in Windsor are presented on this site. Some houses were difficult to see because of landscaping or other restraints. The intent is to provide an overview of housing styles in Windsor, and not an exhaustive compilation.

Characteristics of the Georgian Style

The Georgian style was very balanced and symmetrical. When you look at the front of a Georgian style house, you normally see the front door in the center, and the windows evenly spaced out from there. A very common window arrangement was five windows across the front of the house, and two across the side - sometimes abbreviated as 5x2. There were often 2 ½ stories. The chimney was usually located in the center of the roof. In the case of houses with two chimneys, they were located at opposite ends of the house. Often the front door had Greek elements added, like pilasters (flattened columns) on the side and a pediment (decorative crown) over the top. The door itself was often a paneled double door. The roofs were usually pitched roofs, hip roofs, or sometimes gambrel roofs. Windsor houses exhibit all of these styles as well as an interesting variation - the saltbox style.

New England Style

In New England, house styles had to be practical as well as tasteful, and colonial builders developed a unique New England style. A good way to study houses of this period is to examine the roof styles that were used. The Pitch style roof was a classic design which had been in use for many years. It was easy to build and provided good protection from rain and snow. The Hip style roof was fancier, and provided a more pleasing and balanced look than a pitched roof. Hip roofs were usually found on the more expensive homes. The Gambrel style roof was developed to provide more attic space for storage or sleeping without raising the height of the house. The Saltbox style roof is unique to New England. Saltbox houses feature a roof that slopes back farther in the back of the house. This design probably originated from homeowners adding extra sheds to the back of their houses, and then continuing the roof line down to cover them. The style was called a saltbox style because it resembled table salt boxes of the day, which had a hinged lid that could be opened to spoon out salt for use at meals.

The Houses

1. Oliver Mather house (Windsor Public Library), built 1777:
   323 Broad St., (Windsor Center)
2. John Moore house, built 1675:
   390 Broad St., (Windsor Center)
3. Thomas Allyn house, built 1730:
   119 Deerfield Ave., (Wilson)
4. Will Phelps house, built 1670:
   122 East St., (Poquonock)
5. Deacon John Moore house, built 1664:
   37 Elm St., (Windsor Center)
6. Nathaniel Hayden house, built 1763:
   128 Hayden Station Road (Hayden Station)
7. John Hayden house, built 1770:
   162 Hayden Station Rd., (Hayden Station)
8. Deacon John Loomis house, built 1690:
   Loomis Chaffee Campus (Windsor Center)
9. Elisha Barber house, built 1767:
   33 Meadow St., (Wilson)
10. Alexander Wolcott house, built 1745:
    5 Moorlands (Windsor Center)
11. Thomas Hayden house, built 1769:
    5 North Meadow St., (Windsor Center - Palisado Ave.)
12. William Lovell house, built 1780:
    9 North Meadow St., (Windsor Center - Palisado Ave.)
13. The "Denslow Place," built 1726:
    14 North Meadow St., (Windsor Center - Palisado Ave.)
14. John & Sarah Strong house, built 1758:
    96 Palisado Ave., (Windsor Center - Palisado Ave.)
15. Rev. William Russell house, built 1755:
    101 Palisado Ave., (Windsor Center - Palisado Ave.)
16. Hezekiah Chaffee house, built 1765:
    108 Palisado Ave., (Windsor Center - Palisado Ave.)
17. Captain James Hooker house, built 1765:
    118 Palisado Ave., (Windsor Center - Palisado Ave.)
18. Elijah Mather house, built 1767:
    256 Palisado Ave., (Windsor Center - Palisado Ave.)
19. Jonathan Ellsworth house, built 1784:
    336 Palisado Ave., (Windsor Center - Palisado Ave.)
20. Captain Samuel Stoughton house, built 1740:
    546 Palisado Ave., (Windsor Center - Palisado Ave.)
21. John Hoskins house, built 1760:
    560 Palisado Ave., (Windsor Center - Palisado Ave.)
22. John Gaylord house, built 1772:
    597 Palisado Ave., (Windsor Center - Palisado Ave.)
23. David Ellsworth house, built 1770:
    773 Palisado Ave., (Hayden Station)
24. Oliver Ellsworth house, built 1740:
    788 Palisado Ave., (Hayden Station)
25. Isaac Hayden house, built 1773:
    947 957 Palisado Ave., (Hayden Station)
26. Eliakim Marshall house, built 1785:
    221 Pigeon Hill Rd., (Poquonock)
27. Moses Niles house, built 1776:
    1257 Poquonock Ave., (Poquonock)
28. Joseph Barnard house, built 1752:
    1591 Poquonock Ave., (Poquonock)
29. Seraijah Loomis house, built 1770:
    949 Windsor Ave., (Wilson)
30. Abel Strong house, built 1778:
    1095 Windsor Ave., (Wilson)
31. Captain Nathaniel Loomis house, built 1752:
    1174 Windsor Ave., (Wilson)