In New England, everybody knows what historic houses look like: Boxy shape, center chimney, wide floorboards and small rooms, preferably something to do with the Revolutionary War.
Or maybe not.
“Rectilinear, flat roof, bigger windows, asymmetrical, low to the ground, with an offset entrance,” said Sally Zimmerman, senior preservation services manager for Historic New England, ticking off some of the design points that signify a “mid century modern” home.
These homes, designed and built during the early years of the baby boomer generation, will be one of the topics discussed this weekend at the New Hampshire Old House and Barn Expo in Manchester. The events, with some 60 exhibitors and presenters, will cover such topics as maintenance of historic housing, energy efficiency, timber framing, dealing with lead paint and repairing barns. Dealing with what might be considered “new” old housing will also be covered.
“This is something that I think finally has kind of crested in New England, coming from the west like our weather does,” said Zimmerman, regarding concern over these half-century-old buildings.
How can an architectural style with “modern” in its name be considered for historic preservation? The passage of time, to start with.
The National Register of Historic Places says that buildings at least 50 years old – which means they could have been built as late as 1968 – are eligible for the registry, which is often taken as a mark of historical importance. Mid century modern homes came into being because of the rush of GIs returning from World War II, prompting architects and developers to create simpler, less-expensive floor plans that could be built quickly and affordably to meet the huge market.
But time isn’t enough.
“Age alone is not enough to make something significant,” said Lisa Mausolf, a preservation consultant who will be part of the weekend presentation. “The important task that preservationists have is to preserve aspects and examples that are both ordinary and extraordinary. If we only look for landmark buildings, we are missing a big part of our country’s history.”
The most notable landmark buildings of this type in New Hampshire is the Zimmerman House in Manchester, built by Frank Lloyd Wright. It’s now owned by the Currier Museum of Art and open to public tours. Some central New Hampshire homes built by architect David Campbell, such as one on Jewett Road in Concord with its V-shaped roof and protruding square windows, are also well-known.
Most such homes in New Hampshire are not obvious, tucked away here and there. That’s part of the reason Mausolf said she’s excited about participating in the House & Barn Expo – she hopes to hear from people about such homes that aren’t recognized.
“They were often developed in areas not particularly suitable for traditional architecture: hillier, a lot of rocks, places where it would be harder to lay out 25 suburban houses,” said Zimmerman, who is not related to the family that owned the Zimmerman House. “We are trying to keep an eye on the more normal houses, the subdivisions, places where there are clusters of these post-war houses that relate to modern design.”
Fortunately for preservationists, some aspects of the mid-century design are popular again, particularly the relative small size, under 2,500 square feet or so, and the openness.
“In old houses now, everybody takes out the middle and makes them an open plan. These were built on an open plan,” Zimmerman said. “Twenty years ago they weren’t something that was appreciated, and certainly weren’t seen as historic, and they weren’t terribly well-liked by the general real-estate market. But as the next generation of home buyers has come along, they now have a following.”
With the style finding favor again, these homes can fetch large sums. One such house in Dublin is currently for sale at at $1.3 million.
“The design ethos is back in fashion, the minimalism that they represent is attractive; they tend to be in neighborhoods with nice natural amenities,” Zimmerman said.
The New Hampshire Old House and Barn Expo will be held Saturday and Sunday at the Radisson Hotel, 700 Elm St., Manchester. Admission is $10, discounts for seniors, veterans and students, with children under 13 free. For more information, visit nhpreservation.org/old-house-barn-expo.
(David Brooks can be reached at 369-3313 or dbrooks@cmonitor.com or on Twitter @GraniteGeek.)
