how do I find out what is period for a house?

[texaspeach]

We're looking at buying a house - most of the homes we're interested in were built in the 1930s and before. I'm really interested in craftsman/arts and crafts style, and foursquare style homes.

How would I find out what the original house might have looked like? not the specific house, but houses from the same time period and of the same style?

any ideas? magazines? books?

[aweynsayl]

your local historic society! ours has actual photos of our house from the 40s, which is amazing to see. they'll have resources on your regional styles, too... maybe even some craftspeople who do period work.

[Caneel]

The Field Guide to American Houses is a great reference book. It has both illustrations as well as picture examples of different styles of houses.

[texaspeach]

woo fantastic!

[jackson'smama]

I LOVE arts and crafts/craftsman style homes - especially bungalows . we lived in a 1930's sears kit house when we first got married and we are now planning to build a new bungalow to look old (can't find any existing ones where we live).
anyhoo...

american bungalow magazine
www.ambungalow.com

Bungalow Heritage Network
www.uvm.edu/~vhnet/histarch/haas08.html

Neighborhoods USA
www.nusa.org

Arts & Crafts Movement Resource Directory
www.scsn.net/ragtime/Ragtime_Resources.html

Source Material for the Arts & Crafts Movement
www.burrows.com/found.html