Best Cities for Second Empire Architecture in America

24/7 Wall St. Insights

• The Second Empire style spread throughout Europe and America in the late 19th century with the renewal of Paris under Napoleon III.
• There are over 800 listings categorized as Second Empire in the National Register of Historic Places today.
• Massachusetts is home to 11 of the 25 cities with the most historic Second Empire properties.
• Also: 2 Dividend Legends to Hold Forever

During the French Second Empire of Napoleon III, Paris was renewed on a grand scale, its rise to the top of the world of art and fashion expressed through the construction of wide boulevards and the erection of elegant buildings. The French architectural style of this period quickly spread throughout America from 1860 to 1875.

The hallmark of the Second Empire style was the mansard roof, named after its inventor François Mansart, which allowed a full story of usable space in what was normally a wasted attic. Other features included tall windows, slate fish scale shingles, and cast iron roof cresting. The Second Empire style fell out of fashion after the defeat of France in the Franco-Prussian war, and the style was diluted by aspects of the fast-spreading Italian Villa and Carpenter Gothic styles.

Today, there are over 800 listings categorized as Second Empire in the National Register of Historic Places. And while thousands more Second Empire buildings exist throughout the country without formal historic status, a look at NRHP listings by address reveals the best cities for seeing Second Empire architecture in America.

Many of the Second Empire capitals have nicer, older housing stock. In 24 of the 25 cities with the most Second Empire style properties, the median home age is older than the 45-year national median. In 17 of the 25 top cities, the median value for homes built in 1939 or earlier is greater than the median value for all homes.

To determine the best cities for Second Empire 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 Second Empire 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. St. Paul, MN

• NRHP listings in Second Empire style: 4 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 111 properties
• Median home age: 73 years
• City incorporated: 1854
• Notable Second Empire listings: Alexander Ramsey House, Rau/Strong House, Schornstein Grocery and Saloon, Anthony Yoerg Sr. House

24. Raleigh, NC

• NRHP listings in Second Empire style: 4 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 142 properties
• Median home age: 29 years
• City incorporated: 1792
• Notable Second Empire listings: Federal Building, Heck-Andrews House, Heck-Lee, Heck-Wynne, and Heck-Pool Houses, Oakwood Historic District

23. Chicago, IL

• NRHP listings in Second Empire style: 4 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 411 properties
• Median home age: 72 years
• City incorporated: 1835
• Notable Second Empire listings: West Jackson Boulevard District, Blackstone Hotel, Wheeler-Kohn House, B.F. Goodrich Company Showroom

22. Glens Falls, NY

• NRHP listings in Second Empire style: 5 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 45 properties
• Median home age: 85 years
• City incorporated: 1839
• Notable Second Empire listings: F.W. Wait House, Hiram Krum House, House at 216 Warren Street, Dr. James Ferguson Office, Zopher Delong House

21. Kingston, NY

• NRHP listings in Second Empire style: 5 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 43 properties
• Median home age: 85 years
• City incorporated: 1805
• Notable Second Empire listings: Chichester House, Boice House, Cordts Mansion, Fitch Bluestone Company Office, St. Joseph’s Parish Complex

20. Reading, MA

• NRHP listings in Second Empire style: 5 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 90 properties
• Median home age: 66 years
• City incorporated: 1644
• Notable Second Empire listings: House at 199 Summer Avenue, Wisteria Lodge, Joseph Temple House, House at 16 Mineral Street, Asa M. Cook House

19. Jefferson City, MO

• NRHP listings in Second Empire style: 5 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 52 properties
• Median home age: 47 years
• City incorporated: 1825
• Notable Second Empire listings: Missouri Governor’s Mansion, Jefferson City National Cemetery, Dr. Joseph P. and Effie Porth House, Henry and Elizabeth Bockrath House, West End Saloon

18. Dubuque, IA

• NRHP listings in Second Empire style: 5 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 74 properties
• Median home age: 62 years
• City incorporated: 1857
• Notable Second Empire listings: Hollenfelz House, Andrew-Ryan House, Jackson Park Historic District, St. Mary’s Catholic Church Historic District, Loras College Historic District

17. Taunton, MA

• NRHP listings in Second Empire style: 5 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 96 properties
• Median home age: 62 years
• City incorporated: 1864
• Notable Second Empire listings: J.C. Bartlett House, Albert Sweet House, Alfred Paull House, William L. White Jr. House, William Lawrence House

16. Wilmington, DE

• NRHP listings in Second Empire style: 5 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 132 properties
• Median home age: 80 years
• City incorporated: 1832
• Notable Second Empire listings: Masonic Hall and Grand Theater, Eighth Street Park Historic District, Water Witch Steam Fire Engine Company No. 5, Downtown Wilmington Commercial Historic District

15. Detroit, MI

• NRHP listings in Second Empire style: 5 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 291 properties
• Median home age: 77 years
• City incorporated: 1802
• Notable Second Empire listings: Woodward East Historic District, Elisha Taylor House, Hudson-Evans House, Woodbridge Neighborhood Historic District, John Harvey House

14. Bangor, ME

• NRHP listings in Second Empire style: 6 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 39 properties
• Median home age: 69 years
• City incorporated: 1834
• Notable Second Empire listings: Blake House, Broadway Historic District, Wheelwright Block, Jones P. Veazie House, Sargent-Roberts House

13. Stoneham, MA

• NRHP listings in Second Empire style: 7 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 68 properties
• Median home age: 61 years
• City incorporated: 1725
• Notable Second Empire listings: Dow Block, E.A. Durgin House, Oddfellows Building, Thomas W. Jones House, Charles Gill House

12. Lewiston, ME

• NRHP listings in Second Empire style: 7 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 49 properties
• Median home age: 68 years
• City incorporated: 1862
• Notable Second Empire listings: Senator William P. Frye House, Savings Bank Block, Healey Asylum, Captain Holland House, Dr. Milton Wedgewood House

11. Fall River, MA

• NRHP listings in Second Empire style: 7 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 110 properties
• Median home age: 80 years
• City incorporated: 1854
• Notable Second Empire listings: Ariadne J. and Mary A. Borden House, Chase-Hyde Farm, David M. Anthony House, N.B. Borden School, St. Joseph’s Orphanage

10. Davenport, IA

• NRHP listings in Second Empire style: 7 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 256 properties
• Median home age: 58 years
• City incorporated: 1881
• Notable Second Empire listings: Fred B. Sharon House, Daniel T. Newcome Double House, George Klindt House, B.J. Palmer House, Meadly House

9. Rochester, NY

• NRHP listings in Second Empire style: 9 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 156 properties
• Median home age: 85 years
• City incorporated: 1817
• Notable Second Empire listings: Vanderbeck House, Brown’s Race Historic District, Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church Complex, Maplewood Historic District, Park Avenue Historic District

8. Poughkeepsie, NY

• NRHP listings in Second Empire style: 10 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 93 properties
• Median home age: 75 years
• City incorporated: 1801
• Notable Second Empire listings: Vassar Home for Aged Men, Main Building at Vassar College, Thompson House, Harlow Row, Gregory House

7. Somerville, MA

• NRHP listings in Second Empire style: 10 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 81 properties
• Median home age: 85 years
• City incorporated: 1872
• Notable Second Empire listings: H. Warren House, A.L. Lovejoy House, Langmaid Building, R.A.-Eugene Lacount Knight House, Central Street Downer Rowhouses

6. Newton, MA

• NRHP listings in Second Empire style: 12 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 187 properties
• Median home age: 83 years
• City incorporated: 1873
• Notable Second Empire listings: House at 230 Melrose Street, House at 115-117 Jewett Street, Henry Gane House, Samuel Farquhar House, John Buckingham House

5. Washington, D.C.

• NRHP listings in Second Empire style: 13 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 663 properties
• Median home age: 68 years
• City incorporated: N/A
• Notable Second Empire listings: Logan Circle Historic District, Mountjoy Bayly House, Blanche K. Bruce House, Oscar W. Underwood House, Charles Sumner School

4. Cambridge, MA

• NRHP listings in Second Empire style: 14 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 212 properties
• Median home age: 78 years
• City incorporated: 1846
• Notable Second Empire listings: Bigelow Street Historic District, Urban Rowhouse, Alpheus Mead House, Chester Kingsley House, William Dean Howells House

3. Boston, MA

• NRHP listings in Second Empire style: 14 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 318 properties
• Median home age: 79 years
• City incorporated: 1822
• Notable Second Empire listings: Old City Hall, John Adams Courthouse, Harrison Loring House, Moreland Street Historic District, Bulfinch Triangle Historic District

2. Worcester, MA

• NRHP listings in Second Empire style: 15 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 289 properties
• Median home age: 73 years
• City incorporated: 1848
• Notable Second Empire listings: James Schofield House, Hammond Organ Factory, Charles Allen House, Goddard House, Cambridge Street School

1. New York, NY

• NRHP listings in Second Empire style: 19 properties
• All listings in NRHP: 809 properties
• Median home age: 73 years
• City incorporated: 1652
• Notable Second Empire listings: Surrogate’s Court, Metropolitan Savings Bank, Gilsey Hotel, Kings County Savings Bank, Public School 39

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