Mardis CoersGetty ImagesThe ranch house is a harbinger of America. The ranch style, also known as “rancher” in the U.S., is not like the European pastiche that includes Victorian or Colonial houses. It was developed here, specifically in Los Angeles postwar, and became an integral part of suburbia all across the country.
This midcentury relic, with its low-slung frame strewn across the open spaces of the American West, reflected postwar optimism and the aspiration to suburban family life. It also embodied a unique way of living, as Sunset Magazine described it in 1946 as “informal but gracious.” Today’s generation is embracing the relaxed West Coast style of the ranch. This enduring architectural style is here to help you.
What is the history of ranch-style houses?
After World War II ended, many war veterans were able to return home with generous home loans. They were ready to start their families and resume their lives. Due to the Great Depression and war, there was not enough housing and a lot of demand. Alan Hess (architectural historian, author of The Ranch House) says that while architects in Western Europe and Soviet Union were able to meet the demand by building high-rise apartment blocks, Americans created a product people wanted to purchase. The ranch-style house was that. It is worthy of respect, as it solved America’s housing crisis in the middle century.
The ranch-house design was first created in 1930s by William Wurster and Cliff Mae. It is low-slung, one-story and made from simple, inexpensive materials such as shake roofs, brick foundations, and board-and batten walls. Many historians believe that the survival of the ranch house was dependent on the Hollywood scene. Randolph Scott and John Wayne were the heroes of American cinema, and the ranch house was built in California and Texas to reflect the Old West’s mythology. Hess says, “The mythology of the cowboy and heroic Western characters glorified in the big screen–it all blended to the appeal of ranch house for average Americans.”
Ranch-style homes were very popular in the 1950s and 1960s. Here, a typical suburb.Photo by D. Corson/ClassicStock/Getty ImagesGetty ImagesAfter winning the approval of the Federal Housing Administration, veterans and others could purchase a ranch house with the help of low-cost government loans–a monetary boost that catapulted the ranch house into unprecedented growth. According to Clifford Edward Clark Jr. (author of The American Family Home), it was the most common residential housing type in America by the 1950s. In 1955, there were over 1.65million houses built.
While the American dream of suburbania was a pillar of American culture during the 1950s and 1960s, critics decried the ranch-style home as a conformist suburban artifact. They used terms like “ranch-burger” and “ticky tacky” to describe the criticisms. The cost of land was also increasing. These factors combined to make ranch houses less popular than they used to be. In the 1970s, builders and buyers began to look for larger, more formal and ornate homes.
What are the Features of a Ranch House
Ranch-style homes, also known as ramblers, are well-known for their simple and straightforward design elements. The rancher’s signature low-slung frame features a single-story floorplan with low pitched rooflines and overhanging eaves that extend beyond the house’s exterior walls. Ranchers are often rectangular in shape, but many ranchers can be made in U or L shapes. They can range in size from 900 to 2,500 square feet depending on the price of the house.
Many structures have a Western feel, bringing back memories of Mexican haciendas and dude ranches. Modern styles, however, are more simple and modern with mid-century elements and sleek lines. These homes were found in the Midwest and East and included colonial materials and elements.
Courtesy USDAThe exterior may be made of brick, stucco and wood or can be clad with siding. Many houses have large windows throughout, including Dutch doors or diamond-paned windows. Ranch houses often have a finished basement and an attached garage that faces the front.
Ranch homes almost all have a one-story floor plan. This allows easy access to all rooms and allows for open flow between the rooms. The open-concept layout often has an outdoor space, such as a deck, patio, or lawn. Large sliding glass doors open from the living room and allow for easy access to this area.
Although the ranch house of the Plains was built in 1903, it didn’t have open plan. The modern adaptation, which came a century later, had a kitchen, dining and living room that flowed into the backyard. Hess states that the indoor-outdoor lifestyle is very attractive for young families with children. The stereotype of the time was that children could play outdoors while mothers could cook. This plan was perfect for suburban families.
Colorado’s Arapahoe Acres is a modern ranch. These new luxuries, such as TVs, dishwashers, and intercoms that linked rooms, became an integral part the suburban dream. Hess states that people wanted to live on the Plains, but wanted modern rustic living. Imagine living alongside John Wayne, the cowboy. But you felt completely at home.
Are You Looking for Ranch Houses?
Although it will never regain its mainstream popularity, ranch house owners are restoring and buying ranch homes all over suburban America. They are attractive to young buyers who want a simple lifestyle in a tough housing market. The aging population also chooses to downsize because they offer a one-story option and the nostalgic appeal of the style of their youth.
A growing number of homeowners and volunteers are also taking action to preserve and conserve classic and retro American ranch houses. They have listed a variety of historic neighborhoods, from Colorado’s Arapahoe Acres, California’s Eichler homes to Texas Hill Country, on the National Register of Historic Places.
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