Pre-dating the omnipresent Ranch-style by roughly 20 years and incorporating influences such as Colonial, Spanish Revival, Craftsman and Foursquare architecture to name a few, Minimal Traditional exploded on suburban America during the Great Depression and presented an affordable, “stripped-down version of the historic-eclectic styles popular in the 1920’s”.
Minimal Traditional was often called a “non-style” due to it’s simplicity, affordability and ability to be mass-produced, and was championed by the FHA to fit the needs of blue collar buyers. Typically constructed of wood, brick or stone with small front porches, simple windows, minimal decor and an asymmetrical design, construction of these continued through the 1940s, providing an attractive option for veterans returning from WWII.
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