Photo by Dennis Evanosky

Victorian-era architects and buiders often borrowed ideas from pattern books. When David S. Brehaut and Charles S. Shaner built this Alameda gem, they based the house on pattern-book Design No. 27 in George F. Barber's The Cottage Souvenir Revised and Enlarged.

Architect Charles S. Shaner could design one for you, but it would be expensive, $4,000 or more. We have a photo of Alameda paint dealer Eli B. Dunning proudly standing in front of the one Shaner designed for him for just that price. If $4,000 was too much for your taste, then go see Peter Christiansen. He could build one for half that cost. If you couldn't afford Peter's price, then the firm of Marcuse & Remmel would get you into one for just $1,650.

In an age when you can scarcely find a home on the Island for less than $500,000, it's a bit hard to believe that Eli Dunning paid $4,000 for his house; or that you could find one for under $2,000. Queen Victoria's reign from 1837 until 1901 defined the era when Dunning sold paint on Park Street. Architects and builders were dotting Alameda's landscape with homes we want to put under Her Majesty's umbrella and call them "Victorian," but wait.

Author Mark Wilson teaches architectural history and has written what I consider the definitive work about the area's 19th century architecture, A Living Legacy, Historic Architecture of the East Bay. His book includes an Alameda chapter with a walking tour of the city's architectural highlights. In his lectures, Wilson is quick to point out that there is no such thing as Victorian architecture; there is only Victorian-era architecture.

Oakland's Pardee Home Museum curator David Nicolai begins his tours by asking for style of the 1868 home. He waits a few moments before he adds with a smile, "And don't say Victorian." He waits again in the silence that has overtaken the stunned group. They were all so sure, so ready to enthusiastically reply "Victorian." Nicolai then points out that the Pardee Home is not a Victorian home, but a Victorian-era home in the Italianate style. We will see that there are some fine examples of this Victorian-era style here in Alameda.

The first two Victorian-era styles were actually survivors that architects developed before Victoria's coronation on June 20, 1837.

Greek Revival had been on the scene in the United States since Benjamin Latrobe designed the Bank of Pennsylvania building in 1803. Latrobe's greatest contribution to our architecture, however, came to pass at the bidding of President Thomas Jefferson. Latrobe designed the United States Capitol building.

We can easily dispense with Greek Revival, as those who settled here in the 19th century did not use this style for residential architecture. According to Wilson, "The only full-blown Greek Revival (survivor in the East Bay) is the Old State Capital building in Benicia, erected in 1852 at First and West G streets. Its imposing façade sports two huge brick columns stuccoed over to look like stone."

Elements of the Greek Revival survived, though; architects used them extensively in the Italianate style, as we shall see.

The Gothic Revival style began in England in 1733 with Henry Pelham's Esher Place in Surrey. It first appeared in the United States in homes for the very wealthy, as the style first required building with stone. Alexander Jackson Davis' 1838 creation, "Lyndhurst" in Tarrytown, New York is often cited as one of the style's early appearance in this country.

About 10 years later, the invention of balloon framing and the jig saw along with the proliferation of pattern books allowed builders to construct Gothic Revival homes on a much larger scale: Carpenter Gothic was born.

Just before the middle of the 19th century, industrialism — and the machinery it created — allowed a more complicated and elaborate architecture. Prominent styles during this later period include Italianate (1840-1890), Second Empire (1855-1885), Stick-Eastlake (1860-1890) and Queen Anne (1880-1910).

Over the next issues, we will explore the Victorian-era styles in Alameda, beginning with a look at the Island's Gothic Revival gem, the Webster House.