By Rob Schweitzer
Hailed by many as the wave of the future in affordable dwellings, the gable-front bungalow was designed to fit the narrow, 30-foot wide lots sliced out in the newly developing suburban areas of Chicago and similar cities in the early part of this century. While small, these bungalows still provided living space for children’s play and vegetable gardens.
The gable-roof bungalow was characterized by a large front-facing gable that dominated the facade. Some models, such as the Lewis Cortez, sported a small triangular gable, a wall dormer, that often covered a bay window. Others, like the Lewis Moorland, had small dormers on the roof sides, while simpler versions used small windows in the front gable to light the attic floor, as in the Wards Venice model.
Due to its gable orientation and pitch, this bungalow type was usually only a single story in height, with the usual overhanging eaves, knee brackets and grouped windows. The shingled siding was laid in patterns, or in the more common overlapping style. Other combinations were also popular- such 9 as thin clapboards on the lower section, - with stucco in the gables.
Porches were sometimes integrated under the main body of the house, as on the Cortez, or could be attached, as on the Moorland and Venice. Most porches accommodated half-height columns that were heavy, stout and tapered at the top. The railing area was often filled with simple posts or enclosed with a solid wall.
Much of the popularity of these bungalows was due to their low cost, which was often less than renting. The smaller lots saved money, and practical plans made the houses less costly. Like most bungalows, entry halls were often absent and visitors stepped from the porch right into the living room. There was little or no hallway space. Dining areas and spacious living rooms were connected by a large archway which often contained built-in bookcases on one side and built-in china storage on the other.
If pattern books and magazines of the time are any indication, the low cost gable-front bungalow was one of the most popular styles of the early twentieth century, second only to the shed- roof style we discussed in our first issue. As suburban regions became connected with the interurban trolley and omnibus lines, taking people quickly into the center of the city, the gable-roof bungalow, with its low cost and many amenities, flourished.
