Architectural Styles
Jennings County Courthouse
Vernon, IN
Architectural Styles Quick Links
The Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology created the following guides to give to the Hoosier amateur a brief overview of Indiana's most common architectural styles, barn types, and bridge forms. While, this section does not cover every style or type of historic building found in Indiana, it highlights the most popular and can serve as a basic field guide to experiencing our historic architecture first-hand.
Many properties simply do not fit into a style or type category. Many historic buildings were constructed for functional or industrial purposes without regard to any specific stylistic references. Such buildings may reflect a certain vernacular tradition, but not an architectural style. In fact, many historians agree that most of Indiana's older buildings fall into vernacular type categories rather than style categories. Some viewers will come to recognize differences in construction, alterations, and styles and perhaps be able to estimate a date of construction for some buildings. The Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology encourages Hoosiers to take a closer look at the historic structures in which we work, live, and play. Our older buildings and bridges are living records of our past, works of art of which we should be proud.
Architectural Style Guide (High Styles)
- Federal
- Greek Revival
- Early Gothic Revival
- Italianate
- High Victorian Gothic
- Second Empire
- Queen Anne
- Romanesque Revival
- Neo-Classical Revival
- Prairie
- Bungalow/Craftsman/Four Square
- Twentieth Century Revivals
- Art Deco/Art Moderne
- International
Historic Barn Style Guide
- Single Crib Log Barn
- Tobacco Barn
- Transverse Frame Barn
- Midwest 3-Portal Barn
- Dairy Barn
- Corn Crib Barn
- Octagonal Barn
- German Bank Barn
- English Barn
- Basement Barn
Historic Bridge Styles
Bridges are a unique offshoot of architecture and possess their own associated terms, components and styles. Accordingly, DHPA has created this special section to help identify these and to educate those with an interest in the basics of bridge architecture.
