Although architectural historians distinguish between the Craftsman
Style and Bungalows, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
considers the two to be differing expressions of the same style. The
style emerged in California, where the architectural firm Greene and
Greene began building "Western Stick" style houses in the 1890s.
Bungalows vary widely in appearance. The end-gabled variety (usually
called the Bungalows) feature either an extended gabled porch like that
found on 327 East Street, Corry City or an incised porch below a large
dormer (such as 1018 East 3rd Street, Erie). This subset of Bungalows
usually features an asymmetrical roof with an oversized front dormer
that can be gabled, hipped, or shed in design. The porch usually
features heavy masonry columns or stubby classical columns that stand
on a pier or masonry wall. The front end gabled variety (usually called
the Craftsman style) usually feature a heavy, hipped roof front porch
and heavy brackets below the overhanging eaves. The house at 1215 East
28th Street in the City of Erie is an example.
One factor that promoted Bungalows was their availability as "kit
houses." Mail-order firms such as Sears and Montgomery Ward shipped all
the parts necessary to build the house, including an assembly booklet.
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