American Foursquare — popular 1890-1930

The American Foursquare was a popular mail order style built in large numbers across the United States. The design is space-efficient and most often built on narrow lots making it economical for the middle-class budget. These houses are nearly always square. Four Square (or Box Prairie) houses are considered a subtype or close relative of the Prairie style.

Identifying features include:

Square box shape
2 1/2 stories on a full basement
Three square rooms and an entrance hall on the first floor and four square rooms on the second floor
Low hipped or pyramidal roof
Wide roof overhangs with exposed rafter tails or decorative beams or braces under the gables
Centered dormer in an unfinished attic with a roof line that mirrors main roof
Full width porch with wide stairs and low hipped roof; sometimes the porch wraps around the house
Style features and flourishes from a range of other architectural styles may be applied
Built on narrow lots
Some with centered doors with equal groupings of windows on either side
Those with off-centered doors have upper story symmetrical windows
Front entrance is a focal point of the exterior
Entrances with transoms and sidelights
Most often wood exteriors, but sometimes built of brick, brick or concrete block, or stucco
Double-hung sash windows may or may not have a patterned upper sash
Belt course just below second story windows separating the different building materials used for the first and second floors; for instance, concrete blocks below and stucco above