Includes bibliographical references (pages 215-217).

"The history of Colonial America and the pattern of life in the early settlements is reflected in the homes people lived in, their houses of worship, and the shops and markets and inns that were their gathering places. For this book Nancy Sirkis sought out those that best exemplify America's heritage. Her evocative photographs take the reader on a rambling tour from York, Maine, to Savannah, Georgia, to view the venerable structures that tell the story of pre-Revolutionary days. Some of the places depicted are famous, others are little known beyond the borders of their own communities, but are all places that have retained their original beauty relatively unchanged. The photographs show them as they would have looked at the time of the Revolution or before. Many early structures no longer exist, but their furnishings, lovingly preserved, are presented here in fine photographs that bring us close to the lives of their long-absent owners. Miss Sirkis' informative captions expand our knowledge of the architectural and historical background of the individual houses and provide many interesting facts about the personalities and occupations of the early inhabitants. In the text, Elwood Parry relates the various styles of architecture and design to be found in different regions to the ways in which people lived. He shows how the pressures of necessity that brought about the rough simplicity and economy of the early settlements gave way to more gracious elaboration as the colonies prospered. Also described are the ways in which the tastes and styles the colonists brought with them from England and Europe were adapted to available materials and local conditions and modified by the social attitudes engendered by the Revolution. Together, text and pictures provide an exciting journey of discovery into America's past.",--Taken from liner sleeve.

Also issued online.

SACFinal081324