IDENTIFYING FEATURES: Fan light over door (almost always rounded, rarely squared), sidelights, Classical/Greek detailing of entryway, Palladian windows, balustrades, oval/circular rooms in some high-style examples. Symmetrical as Georgian style. Windows: double-hung sash windows for first time (Georgian also).

BACKGROUND AND INSPIRATION: By 1776: new style created in Scotland by Adam Brothers. Based on plans of houses and palaces in Italy (Nero's Golden House in Rome): internal spaces of hexagonal, oval, circular forms. Known as Federal because the style flowered in early decades of U.S. Basically, Georgian style with Adamesque enhancements. The main identifying feature is typically the fanlight entryway with classical (Greek) detailing and common palladian windows. The most famous federal-style "oval room" is undoubtedly the Oval Office of the White House.

PHOTO LOCATIONS AND DESCRIPTIONS (based on info available)

1. Boston, MA. State House, Charles Bulfinch, architect. c.1795-1797. Bulfinch based his design for the State House on the Somerset House in London. Prominent Federal features include bilateral symmetry of the facade, ballustrade at the roof line, Palladian windows on the second floor, string course (i.e. belt course) separating the first and second floors, and classical columns on the portico.  
2. Boston, MA. St. Stephen's Church, 1802-1804, Charles Bulfinch, architect. This is the only Bulfinch church still standing in Boston.  
3. Madison, IN. Excellent example of federal-style entryway. 
4. Washington, D.C. The White House, 1800.  Federal building with Greek-revival portico and federal-style oval room, in this case, the famous "Oval Office".
5. Lewistown, PA. McCoy House.
6. Branford, CT.
7. Connecticut. Good example of Palladian window on second floor above the entryway.
8. Stafford, CT. Another excellent example of a Palladian window, usually associated with the Federal (Adam) style. This example includes a hipped roof.
9. Savannah, GA. c.1820. The Davenport House. Considered the best preserved example of Federal style in Savannah. The saving of this house from demolition in 1955 by a group of women is what started the Historic Savannah Foundation, the primary group responsible for Savannah's historic preservation efforts since then.
10. Savannah, GA. c.1834. The Stephen Williams House. Both this house and the Davenport House (above) exemplify the common southern practice of raising the house above street-level, to avoid dust, noise, and traffic outside the lower floor windows
11. Alexandria, VA. Simple federal entryway, excellent Federal-style stone window heads, flat with keystones. Otherwise, an upscale Georgian row house with huge firewall and twin chimneys.
12. Alexandria, VA. Excellent example of Federal entryway, probably around 1810. Fluted pilasters support a broken pediment. Could be interpreted as Greek Revival, though Calloway (2005) shows this form as distinctly Federal (see sources on home page). Photo #8 above has very similar entryway
13-14. Sturbridge, MA. Gable-front entry with rounded "globe-window" transom light above the door. This design appears on other Federal buildings in this area, though I don't know its origin. The gable-front facade is a Greek Revival feature, though the entry is still Federal.
15. Boston, MA. The 1st Harrison Gray Otis House, c.1795. Charles Bulfinch, Architect. Prominent features include the Federal-style entryway (1801) with fanlight, Palladian window on the second floor, lunette window (half-moon shape) on the 3rd floor, and string courses (or belt courses) separating the three floors. As with most Federal-style buildings, the massing of the structure is based on a bilaterally symmetrical Georgian plan, in this case with five bays on the front facade, central entryway and interior halls.

OTHER USEFUL LINKS

Federal Style Architectural Photographs and Pattern Book