[Illustration: _Fig. 53. A California Bungalow in north Monroe
(Bldg. 155)._]
[Illustration: _Fig. 54. An expressive West Monroe California
Bungalow (Bldg. 156)._]
An innovation in housing design and stylistic detailing occurred in
North Louisiana during the second decade of the 20th century. The houses
of two California architects, Charles and Henry Greene, led to the
establishment of a style known as “Craftsman.” Several influences—the
English Arts and Crafts movement, interest in oriental wood architecture
and training in the manual arts—may have encouraged the Greene brothers
to design intricately detailed buildings. Their work and other
California residences received publicity in the various national
magazines. Thus, the one-story Craftsman house soon became the most
popular and fashionable smaller house in the country. In Louisiana these
houses have been labeled “California Bungalows.”
The characteristic features occurred normally on the facades, that
portion of the house most visible to the public. The low-pitched gabled
roof had wide, unenclosed eaves and overhangs and roof rafters were
exposed and decorative false beams or braces occurred under the gables.
Porches were full or partial width across the front.
The porch or gallery columns had distinctive detailing. Typically, short
square upper columns were placed over more massive masonry piers or a
solid porch balustrade (skirt). The columns, piers, or balustrades often
began at ground level and extended with no interruption to a level above
the porch floor.
The California Bungalow style houses constitute the most numerous group
of extant styled houses in the Twin Cities. As such, they represent a
definite attempt to establish a styled expression of individuality for
the houses of the general populace. The examples illustrated on these
pages are representative of this style.
In figure 53 a California Bungalow in north Monroe was built with the
front gable expressed in the broad three-windowed dormer. Note the
extensive dormer roof overhang. The full width front gallery is provided
with screens between the straight full height wood columns; the gallery
roof overhang contains exposed rafter ends.
Another expression of the California Bungalow appeared in the circa 1930
West Monroe house shown in figure 54. This two story house has a front
gable and multiple groupings of windows. But the greatest expression
occurs in the one-story gallery. It has a smaller low pitched gable roof
with four full height square brick piers and a half height brick pier
near the door. The balustrade continues to the side porte cochere, or
car shelter.
The freedom of design offered by the California Bungalow style allowed a
house form beyond that of the standard simple rectangle, and the West
Monroe circa 1920 house in figure 55 used this freedom. The roof
contains no gables, the front porch is allowed to wrap around the side,
and the rear porch is enclosed providing additional room. The exposed
rafter ends support a rather deep overhang. The porch supports are
constructed of massive wood posts on half height brick piers.
[Illustration: _Fig. 55. A rambling California Bungalow on Trenton
St., West Monroe (Bldg. 157)._]
Yet another expression occurs in the West Monroe circa 1926 house in
figure 56. The high roof allows space for attic rooms. Note shed roof
dormer.
[Illustration: _Fig. 56. Another expression of the popular
California Bungalow (Bldg. 158)._]
The California Bungalow style continued to be popular in the region
until after World War II when it was supplanted by the “ranch” form
house with a concrete slab floor.