Italianate and French Second Empire

The porch is an important part of the Italianate and French Second Empire styles. Both styles were popular during the 1860s and 1870s in Vermont and featured similar ornate porches. Porches spanned the fronts of houses, wrapped around the corners, or were tucked into the corners of intersecting walls. Squared columns usually supported a flat roof and brackets, either single or paired, frequently sat beneath a projecting cornice. As can be seen in the images below, small molded details often adorned the Italianate and Second Empire porch.

Italianate Porch: Image courtesy of Elizabeth André

Italianate Porch: Image courtesy of Elizabeth André

French Second Empire Porch: Image courtesy of Elizabeth André

Italianate Corner Porches: Image courtesy of Virginia and Lee McAlester, A Field Guide to American Houses, 2004