Stick Style - 1860 to circa 1890

Stick style, short lived, linked the preceding Gothic Revival to the soon to be popular Queen Anne. The style is defined primarily by the multi-structured wall surfaces and cross trusses that mimic medieval half-timbered houses. This decorative detailing to the house walls as opposed to windows, doors or cornices was applied in horizontal, vertical or diagonal patterns that were sometimes raised from the surface for emphasis.

Stick had its roots in the earlier Picturesque Gothic ideas of Andrew Jackson Downing and was popularly represented in the house pattern books of the 1860's and 1870's. It was however, not nearly as popular as its contemporary cousins, Italianate and Second Empire and was quickly absorbed by the more popular Queen Anne style that incorporated many of its characteristics. In Fairport, the best example of a house built in the Stick style can be found at 26 Perrin Street. (See photo at left) And be sure to admire the beautiful stick detailing located in the gable and upper portion of the home at 25 Woodlawn Avenue.

Characteristic Details

Form

Homes in this style could be constructed with gables and/or squared towers and occur with deeply overhanging eaves. The gabled houses are seen with either side or cross gables or sometimes-secondary cross gables. Decorative trusses occur at the gable, dormer or porch peaks.

Roofs and Cornices

Roofs are steeply pitched with deep eaves and are side or front gabled. Additional decorations can occur on the cornices.

Stick style home at 116 West Avenue

Porch

These are one story at the entry or full width across the facade. The supporting posts often end in triangular patterns.

Windows

Four, two or three paned with decorative, sometimes "Eastlake", patterns shown over the top. Squared bay windows are common but cut away bays are seen also, a window design that would become more popular with the Queen Anne style.

Doorways

Doors could be single or paired, sometimes with a glass panel in the top half, mimicking earlier designs.