Special Report

This City Is the Epitome of Gothic Revival Style Architecture in America

Evan Comen

Published: October 19, 2024 7:59 am

24/7 Wall St. Insights

• Gothic Revival came into popularity at a time when Greek Revival was waning, emphasizing organic, irregular shapes where the latter stressed symmetry and confinement.
• There are over 2,400 listings categorized as Gothic Revival in the National Register of Historic Places today.
• Cities with the most Gothic Revival buildings tend to be older, wealthy places with high-value, well-preserved housing stock.
• Also: 2 Dividend Legends to Hold Forever

Gothic Revival architecture came into fashion on the East Coast around 1840 as the popularity of Greek Revival began to fade. While Greek Revival architects worked within the confines of existing foundations, squeezing a number of rooms into a cubic structure, Gothic architects allowed their plans to grow organically, with meandering rooms spreading out to form irregular, picturesque shapes. The resulting asymmetry was accented by ornamentation cribbed from 11th to 15th century English Gothic cathedrals and castles.

While original Gothic Revival buildings required highly skilled stone carvers, the style spread when architects began to translate the style to wooden buildings, giving rise to Gothic “gingerbread” houses popular throughout the Northeast. The popularity of Gothic Revival coincided with the maturation of a building method called balloon framing, which allowed the style to proliferate through rapid, inexpensive construction.

Today, there are over 2,400 listings categorized as Gothic Revival in the National Register of Historic Places. And while thousands more Gothic Revival buildings exist throughout the country without formal historic status, a look at NRHP listings by address reveals the best cities for seeing Gothic Revival architecture in America.

Cities with abundant Gothic Revival architecture tend to be older in general. In 16 of the top 25 cities, the population peaked in the 20th century. Some 22 of the 25 cities on the list were incorporated before 1900.

To determine the best cities for Gothic Revival architecture, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data on historic properties from the National Register of Historic Places of the U.S. National Park Service. Cities, towns, and villages were ranked based on the number of listings in the NRHP that are designated as Gothic Revival architecture style as of October 2024. Supplemental data on median home age is from the 2022 American Community Survey of the U.S. Census Bureau.

25. Cambridge, MA

• NRHP listings in Gothic Revival style: 7 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 212 properties
• Median home age: 78 years
• City incorporated: 1846
• Notable Gothic Revival listings: Mount Auburn Cemetery, Sarah Foster Colburn House, Old Cambridge Baptist Church, Anna Day House, Sacred Heart Church, Rectory, School, and Convent

24. Topeka, KS

• NRHP listings in Gothic Revival style: 7 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 94 properties
• Median home age: 57 years
• City incorporated: 1857
• Notable Gothic Revival listings: John Sargent House, Curtis Junior High School, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Topeka High School, St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church

23. Winston-Salem, NC

• NRHP listings in Gothic Revival style: 7 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 91 properties
• Median home age: 45 years
• City incorporated: 1913
• Notable Gothic Revival listings: Old Salem Historic District, James Mitchell Rogers House, Lloyd Presbyterian Church, Goler Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Mars Hill Baptist Church

22. Buffalo, NY

• NRHP listings in Gothic Revival style: 7 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 193 properties
• Median home age: 85 years
• City incorporated: 1813
• Notable Gothic Revival listings: Hellenic Orthodox Church of the Annunciation, Trinity Episcopal Church, Turner Brothers’ Building-American Household Storage Company, First Unitarian Church of Buffalo, St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church Complex

21. Los Angeles, CA

• NRHP listings in Gothic Revival style: 7 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 252 properties
• Median home age: 60 years
• City incorporated: 1850
• Notable Gothic Revival listings: Heinsbergen Decorating Company Building, Memorial Branch, McCarty Memorial Christian Church, Textile Center Building, Garment Capitol Building

20. Mobile, AL

• NRHP listings in Gothic Revival style: 8 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 128 properties
• Median home age: 51 years
• City incorporated: 1814
• Notable Gothic Revival listings: Spring Hill College Quadrangle, Tschiener House, Saint Paul’s Episcopal Chapel, Emanuel AME Church, Trinity Episcopal Church

19. New Orleans, LA

• NRHP listings in Gothic Revival style: 8 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 204 properties
• Median home age: 66 years
• City incorporated: 1805
• Notable Gothic Revival listings: Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, St. Patrick’s Church, St. Louis Cemetery No. 2, Leeds Iron Foundry, Metairie Cemetery

18. Minneapolis, MN

• NRHP listings in Gothic Revival style: 8 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 152 properties
• Median home age: 74 years
• City incorporated: 1866
• Notable Gothic Revival listings: B.O. Cutter House, Gethsemane Episcopal Church, Stevens Square Historic District, Minneapolis YMCA Central Building, Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church

17. Omaha, NE

• NRHP listings in Gothic Revival style: 8 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 187 properties
• Median home age: 52 years
• City incorporated: 1857
• Notable Gothic Revival listings: Trinity Cathedral, St. Matthias’ Episcopal Church, St. Martin of Tours Episcopal Church, Park School, Farnam Building

16. Poughkeepsie, NY

• NRHP listings in Gothic Revival style: 9 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 93 properties
• Median home age: 75 years
• City incorporated: 1801
• Notable Gothic Revival listings: Matthew Vassar Estate, Church of the Holy Comforter, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Niagara Engine House, Mulrien House

15. Newton, MA

• NRHP listings in Gothic Revival style: 9 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 187 properties
• Median home age: 83 years
• City incorporated: 1873
• Notable Gothic Revival listings: Thayer House, House at 2212 Commonwealth Avenue, John A. Fenno House, Newton Upper Falls Historic District, Newton Highlands Historic District

14. Birmingham, AL

• NRHP listings in Gothic Revival style: 9 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 156 properties
• Median home age: 59 years
• City incorporated: 1871
• Notable Gothic Revival listings: Woodlawn Commercial Historic District, Mount Ararat Baptist Church, First Baptist Church, East Thomas, Sardis Baptist Church, St. Luke AME Zion Church

13. Rochester, NY

• NRHP listings in Gothic Revival style: 9 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 156 properties
• Median home age: 85 years
• City incorporated: 1817
• Notable Gothic Revival listings: City Hall Historic District, Saint Mark’s and Saint John’s Episcopal Church, Linden-South Historic District, East Main Street Historic District, Mount Hope Cemetery

12. Raleigh, NC

• NRHP listings in Gothic Revival style: 9 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 142 properties
• Median home age: 29 years
• City incorporated: 1792
• Notable Gothic Revival listings: Christ Church, St. Mary’s Chapel, Capitol Area Historic District, St. Mary’s College, St. Paul A.M.E. Church

11. Brookline, MA

• NRHP listings in Gothic Revival style: 10 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 98 properties
• Median home age: 84 years
• City incorporated: 1705
• Notable Gothic Revival listings: Cottage Farm Historic District, Longwood Historic District, Emmett Cottage, Thomas Aspinwall Davis House, William Ingersoll Bowditch House

10. Chicago, IL

• NRHP listings in Gothic Revival style: 10 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 411 properties
• Median home age: 72 years
• City incorporated: 1835
• Notable Gothic Revival listings: Pullman Historic District, Henry B. Clarke House, Second Presbyterian Church, Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago, New Masonic Building and Oriental Theater

9. Wilmington, DE

• NRHP listings in Gothic Revival style: 11 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 132 properties
• Median home age: 80 years
• City incorporated: 1832
• Notable Gothic Revival listings: Brandywine Village Historic District, Rockwood, St. Hedwig’s Roman Catholic Church, Mount Lebanon Methodist Episcopal Church, Trinity Episcopal Church

8. Little Rock, AR

• NRHP listings in Gothic Revival style: 12 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 282 properties
• Median home age: 46 years
• City incorporated: 1831
• Notable Gothic Revival listings: Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, Little Rock Central High School, Winfield Methodist Church, St. Edwards Church, Central Presbyterian Church

7. Kansas City, MO

• NRHP listings in Gothic Revival style: 13 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 361 properties
• Median home age: 56 years
• City incorporated: 1850
• Notable Gothic Revival listings: St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Jenkins Music Company Building, Westminster Congregational Church, Continental Hotel, Pilgrim Lutheran Church for the Deaf of Greater Kansas City and Parsonage

6. Atlanta, GA

• NRHP listings in Gothic Revival style: 14 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 241 properties
• Median home age: 39 years
• City incorporated: 1845
• Notable Gothic Revival listings: Callanwolde, Oakland Cemetery, Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Healey Building, Butler Street Colored Methodist Episcopal Church

5. Denver, CO

• NRHP listings in Gothic Revival style: 16 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 321 properties
• Median home age: 52 years
• City incorporated: 1861
• Notable Gothic Revival listings: Evans Memorial Chapel, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, St. John’s Cathedral, Tower of Memories, Annunciation Church

4. Boston, MA

• NRHP listings in Gothic Revival style: 17 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 318 properties
• Median home age: 79 years
• City incorporated: 1822
• Notable Gothic Revival listings: Washington Street Theatre District, All Saints’ Church, Christ Church, Saint Augustine Chapel and Cemetery, First Church of Jamaica Plain

3. Washington, D.C.

• NRHP listings in Gothic Revival style: 23 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 663 properties
• Median home age: 68 years
• City incorporated: N/A
• Notable Gothic Revival listings: Christ Church, Grace Protestant Episcopal Church, Church of the Epiphany, Oak Hill Cemetery Chapel, Christ Church

2. Detroit, MI

• NRHP listings in Gothic Revival style: 27 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 291 properties
• Median home age: 77 years
• City incorporated: 1802
• Notable Gothic Revival listings: Mariners’ Church, St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, Elisha Taylor House, Ste. Anne Roman Catholic Church Complex, Sweetest Heart of Mary Roman Catholic Church

1. New York, NY

• NRHP listings in Gothic Revival style: 61 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 809 properties
• Median home age: 73 years
• City incorporated: 1652
• Notable Gothic Revival listings: Elizabeth Alice Austen House (Clear Comfort), Smallpox Hospital, Flatbush Town Hall, Church of the Transfiguration and Rectory, Grace Church and Dependencies