What Is a Colonial Roof?

Colonial Roof Evolution

• The earliest settlers in America built houses that resembled those in their homelands. The homes were often constructed of different materials than the original ones as the areas in which the immigrants settled were undeveloped and had limited resources. As they underwent the changing seasons of their new locations, they adapted the buildings to withstand weather and other environmental elements. However, many of the pioneers strove to keep architectural aspects from their countries of origin in the designs.

Regional Colonial Roofs

• Garrison colonial homes in early America were built in the image of those constructed during the medieval period of England. The roofs typically had steep gables with the second story overhang protruding over the front of the house. Two-story New England style colonial homes followed with tall gabled roofs on each side and large chimneys in the center that heated the entire structure. Southern colonial homes had the same basic architectural style but two chimneys extended from the roof on opposite sides of the house. When the settlers built additions to the backs of their homes, the Saltbox colonial style evolved and included a sloping roof that provided a barrier to the strong, cold New England winds. Cape Cod colonial roofs were steep and simple with end gables, a design that prevented the buildup of snow on housetops.

European-Influenced Roofs

• As immigrants from more countries arrived in America, the architecture reflected the styles of their motherlands. Dutch colonial roofs had softer angles such as flared eaves and slightly rounded tops. French colonial architecture stressed simple lines in roofs, which extended over two-story porches and were supported by narrow pillars. Spanish colonial roofs gained popularity when the country expanded west and were commonly flat or barely pitched and covered with terra cotta tiles. The reign of King George in England resulted in symmetrical Georgian colonial homes built from brick and topped with low-profile, steeply-pitched roofs.

Transitional and Modern Roofs

• Right before the turn of the 20th century, architecture underwent the Colonial Revival, a mixture of Victorian and various earlier colonial styles that often included several gabled and gambrel roof styles atop one symmetrically designed house. This revival lasted into the 1950s when more modern house styles such as ranch and split-levels gained favor. Today’s Neocolonial architecture combines many roof and construction styles inspired by past colonial designs and are frequently enhanced with modern influences and flourishes.