American culture

Architecture of the United States

Indigenous

The oldest structures on territory that is now the United States are Pueblo villages of New Mexico. The Tiwa speaking people have inhabited Taos Pueblo continuously for over 1000 years. The related Chacoan civilization built extensive public architecture in northwestern New Mexico from CE 700 - 1250 until drought forced them to relocate. Another related culture, now best known as the Anasazi, created distinctive cliff dwellings in Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona from the twelfth through fourteenth centuries.

Images of local Algonquonian villages Pomeiooc and Secoton in what later became coastal North Carolina survive from the late sixteenth century. Artist and cartographer John White stayed at the short-lived Roanoake colony for 13 months and recorded over 70 watercolor images indigenous people, plants, and animals.

Hawaii's late entry to the United States gives it a substantial history of precolonial architecture. Late nineteenth century Hawaiian architecture shows European influence. Earlier structures reflect Polynesian heritage.

Colonial

The earliest continuously occupied European settlement in the United States is St. Augustine, Florida founded in 1565. The Castillo de San Marcos fort 1672-1695 is its oldest surviving structure. Spanish colonists left a greater greater imprint later in what was then called Alta California (later the United States state of California) with an extensive and well preserved network of missions dating from 1769-1823. The missions had a significant influence on later regional architecture.

Excavation at the first permanent English speaking settlement, Jamestown, Virginia (founded 1607) has unearthed part of the triangular James Fort and numerous artifacts from the early sixteenth century. Nearby Williamsburg was Virginia's colonial capital and is now a tourist attraction as a well preserved eighteenth century town.

The the oldest remaining building of Plymouth, Massachusetts is the Harlow House built 1677 and now a museum. Several notable colonial era buildings remain in Boston. Boston's Old North Church built 1783 in the style of Sir Christopher Wren became an influential model for later United States church design.

Fires in 1788 and 1794 destroyed original Spanish structures in New Orleans. Many of the city's present buildings date to late eighteenth century rebuilding efforts. Graceful wrought iron balconies are a characteristic local style.