French+Colonial

= __French Colonial__ - style homes originated from Mississippi and Louisiana. =

Bequette-Ribault House in Ste. Geneviève, Missouri, built 1778
__French Colonial Features__
 * Living quarters raised above ground level
 * Wide porches
 * Timber frame with brick or bousillage
 * No interior hallways
 * Porches used as passageways between rooms
 * French doors
 * Thin wooden columns
 * Wide hipped roof extends

History of French Colonial Homes
When the French landed on American soil, they brought with them their flair for the romantic. The original methods of house building in America met basic needs, but by the late 1700s the French had abandoned their original blueprints, which resembled medieval homes built with palisade foundations, and begun constructing raised houses that offered protection from the elements and allowed better airflow to the upper levels. These homes, often called Creole Cottages or Cajun Cottages, became popular along the Mississippi River Valley.

Work Cited
By Katie Schopp - 2/23/10