George Eastman's Boyhood Home-Greek Revival Architecture

This video is part of the Genesee Country Village & Museum audio tour series. Click through all the videos in the playlist to learn about life in New York during the 19th century.
Transcript:
During the second quarter of the 19th century, the architecture of ancient Greece, home of the world’s first democracy, was adapted to suit the needs and tastes of the United States, a young democracy that looked to Greece for inspiration. “Greek Revival” as it was known, was the first and perhaps only architectural style to be adopted across the entire nation. The reasons for its popularity are unclear. Reverence for ancient Greece? A need to be different from old England? Its virtuous simplicity and contrast to the ornate Gothic style then dominating Europe? Whatever the cause, a great many houses built between the 1820’s and the 1850’s show respect for Greek elegance.
Here’s what to look for in a Greek Revival structure: there are round free-standing columns, projecting out from the walls or pilasters, which look like flattened columns. In turn, the columns and pilasters support pediments and gables, the triangular areas beneath the roof. Then there are porticos, elegant little porches enclosing the front and side doors. In turn, the doors are flanked by side lights or narrow vertical windows. Above the doors are transom windows, designed to open out horizontally.
Greek Revival architecture varied widely from region-to-region. The type found here in the Genesee Country differed greatly from the styles found in eastern New York, New England, and Pennsylvania. Here at the museum, you could find some beautiful examples of western New York Greek Revival in the Eastman Boyhood Home, the Livingston-Backus House, and the Brooks Grove Methodist Church.
You’ll usually see one of three styles of columns and plasters on Greek Revival structures in western New York - Tuscan, Doric, and Ionic. Here’s how to tell them apart: the Tuscan style, which is actually Roman in origin, is plain and simple. Just a round column with no decorations. The Doric style is fluted. The flutes are those narrow vertical ridges running up and down the length of the column. Ionic is kind of like Doric, only fancier. It has a base, more flutes, and is decorated at the top with a scroll.