Second Empire Style
The Second Empire style arrived in St. Louis in the 1870’s, and quickly overwhelmed previous architectural styles. The defining element of the style is the mansard roof: a double-pitched hipped roof whose upper slope is very flat, while the lower slants sharply down to a decorative cornice. Dormers are often present on the steep roof, which is covered with slate shingles, sometimes in an ornamental pattern. Many Second Empire houses had stone veneered front facades; less elaborate buildings imitated the look with cement stucco. Second Empire houses can be found in numerous neighborhoods east of Grand Avenue, and most prominently, in Lafayette Square. (St. Louis, 1995)