Second Empire

Popular in the Midwest and Northeast, this Victorian style was fashionable for public buildings during Ulysses S. Grant's presidency, but its elaborate, costly detail fell out of favor in the late 1800s for economic reasons. Second empire homes feature mansard roofs with dormer windows, molded cornices, and decorative brackets under the eaves. One subtype sports a rectangular tower at the front and center of the structure. (See also Victorian .)