Virtual History:
The Middle Colonies
The Middle Colonies
German Influence
The middle colonies became the home for many of the Germanic peoples who migrated from northern Europe, bringing with them many of the traditions and styles of their homelands to New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland. At the same time, the middle colonies were influenced by both their northern and southern neighbors as these regions joined to form a new nation.
New York was known as New Netherlands because of the Dutch settlers there. These home builders gave the Georgian style its own unique look. The Dutch used a gabled roof that hang well over the sides of the house and made it look more like a barn. These homes usually had a stoop (a seat) on the porch and one or two chimneys on the sides of the house.
Notice the symmetry of the roofline on the Steuben House found in New Jersey. The chimney is in the middle of the house rather than on the end.
Steuben House - New Jersey (1713)
Northern Influence
The influence of Georgian architecture was felt in the middle colonies. For example, the Burton House in Delaware shows much of the symmetry and simple design of northern Georgian houses. Notice how the back of the house has additional room built off of it, just as they did in the northern colonies. The clean white coloring with black shutters also is consistent with the northern style.
Burton House - Delaware (1780)
Southern Influence
We can see the emerging influence of the Federalist style in the middle colonies, as well. WIlliam Penn built Pennsbury in this style. Notice the brick construction and the placement of windows and chimneys in this design. There is still an emphasis on symmetry, but it is a much more formal look than the simple Georgian and Dutch style homes. You can read more about the Federalist style under the Southern colonies.
Pennsbury - Pennsylvania (1686)
Additonal Research