The
American Foursquare or
American Four Square is an American house style popular from the mid-1890s to the late 1930s. A reaction to the ornate and
mass-produced elements of the
Victorian and other Revival styles popular throughout the last half of the 19th century, the American Foursquare was plain, often incorporating handcrafted "honest" woodwork (unless purchased from a mail-order catalog). This style incorporates elements of the
Prairie School and the
Craftsman styles. It is also sometimes called Transitional Period.