By Mason ForandoAll the colonial houses are alike. From the least important placeslike farms to places like Monticello all the houses were built in thefederal style.
The federal style just means that the house would bebilaterally symmetrical. If there was five windows on the top half, thenthere would be five on the lower half (same on the left and right side). When the plantation owners were in the heat of summer they would cometo these houses in Beaufort. Inside these houses, an arch would separatethe public and private side. On the public side there would be rooms likea dining room, an office, a ballroom, and a living room.
On the privateside there was the bedroom and kitchen. The public side it was generallyfancier and had the expensive things in it. Also inside these houses was a natural wind flow. They accomplishedthis by having two doors in every room so when they opened all the doorsthe wind would flow throughout the house. The doors look like closets butthere is no real closets in the house. The colonists would party a lot.
They had a ballroom on the secondfloor for two reasons. To have a good view, and to keep away the flies. There was a “lady’s” ballroom ( a present from the husband) coming off fromthe ballroom so the women could leave the party and just chat about thecurrent events. The houses had no plumbing, and no heating so the colonists neededfireplaces and outhouses. The fire places on the public side were Adamsfireplaces (expensive) and was elaborately decorated.
They were made ofmarble. The ones on the public side were just there for heating purposes,not decoration.
