865 Eleventh Street was built in 1948. It is an example of the split-level style home. The split-level home has been around since the 1930s, but became popular as an affordable home style in the period after World War II. This house is a very simple representation of the style. However, the two story section on the left possesses a roof that was quite popular in the mid-century modern era. Slanting roofs were a design element that was often employed in commercial buildings, but was sometimes employed on residences to give the home a more progressive appearance.
It was possible for split-level homes during this time period to appear traditional, as seen in the examples from Better Homes and Gardens magazines from around 1950. The green house is an example of a mid-century modern design where the roof slopes in an upside down checkmark to create a singular roofline over the split-level. Checkmark and boomerang shapes were a popular design to include in buildings during this time.
The home exhibits many features that were common to mid-century modern residential architecture. The lower floor of the building is a stucco material and the upper level is paneled with wooden boards. Contrasting material types was popular in order to accent the features of the building. The owners of this property have maintained this style by maintaining the light pain around the eaves and windows. Often, mid-century modern home features were accented this way. Windows can be telling in a mid-century modern building, large windows designate family spaces and smaller windows designate private spaces, such as bedrooms. Large windows were popular to give families an indoor-outdoor feel. A growing lifestyle trend was to provide for “flowing” spaces where an individual could occupy both an indoor and outdoor space simultaneously with the use of glass. In Laramie, the windows are smaller than their counterparts in places like California. This creative use of window size to still accommodate the winter weather gives Laramie a Rocky Mountain take on mid-century modern.
Better Homes magazine articles throughout the 1950s and 1960s presented these homes as efficient with versatile internal layouts. The designs for these homes were very popular. It was possible during this time to order blueprints from an architect and have a local builder interpret them locally. A convenient aspect of the split-level designs is that they did not require a lot to be flattened; these homes could be built directly into a hillside or on a slope.
During the post-World War II and into the Cold War era Laramie was expanding in population due to the growth of the university and the shift of industry. Homes like these were able to be built affordably to accommodate the rising American dream of a nuclear family home. Depending on the design these homes can be simple like 865 Eleventh Street or more elaborate like 1213 E. Harney Street which followed the more iconic Usonian design common to the era. 865 Eleventh Street provides an example of a less flashy version of the mid-century modern iconic architecture. It is not uncommon for communities like Laramie to gain trends slowly. 865 Eleventh Street represents a transitional era for Laramie as it was moving from its more traditional roots to a technological future. This home being built in the late 1940s was probably an early adopter of mid-century modern style.
It was possible for split-level homes during this time period to appear traditional, as seen in the examples from Better Homes and Gardens magazines from around 1950. The green house is an example of a mid-century modern design where the roof slopes in an upside down checkmark to create a singular roofline over the split-level. Checkmark and boomerang shapes were a popular design to include in buildings during this time.
The home exhibits many features that were common to mid-century modern residential architecture. The lower floor of the building is a stucco material and the upper level is paneled with wooden boards. Contrasting material types was popular in order to accent the features of the building. The owners of this property have maintained this style by maintaining the light pain around the eaves and windows. Often, mid-century modern home features were accented this way. Windows can be telling in a mid-century modern building, large windows designate family spaces and smaller windows designate private spaces, such as bedrooms. Large windows were popular to give families an indoor-outdoor feel. A growing lifestyle trend was to provide for “flowing” spaces where an individual could occupy both an indoor and outdoor space simultaneously with the use of glass. In Laramie, the windows are smaller than their counterparts in places like California. This creative use of window size to still accommodate the winter weather gives Laramie a Rocky Mountain take on mid-century modern.
Better Homes magazine articles throughout the 1950s and 1960s presented these homes as efficient with versatile internal layouts. The designs for these homes were very popular. It was possible during this time to order blueprints from an architect and have a local builder interpret them locally. A convenient aspect of the split-level designs is that they did not require a lot to be flattened; these homes could be built directly into a hillside or on a slope.
During the post-World War II and into the Cold War era Laramie was expanding in population due to the growth of the university and the shift of industry. Homes like these were able to be built affordably to accommodate the rising American dream of a nuclear family home. Depending on the design these homes can be simple like 865 Eleventh Street or more elaborate like 1213 E. Harney Street which followed the more iconic Usonian design common to the era. 865 Eleventh Street provides an example of a less flashy version of the mid-century modern iconic architecture. It is not uncommon for communities like Laramie to gain trends slowly. 865 Eleventh Street represents a transitional era for Laramie as it was moving from its more traditional roots to a technological future. This home being built in the late 1940s was probably an early adopter of mid-century modern style.
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