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Historians sometimes use the term Adamesque (after the English architect Robert Adam) rather than Federal. Adam created a sensation among his wealthy clients in England when he revived ancient classical ideas and motifs from Pompeii to decorate their estate houses. The style became fashionable for both furnishings and buildings in the eastern seaboard states in the 1780s. The Federal Style is characterized by its simple proportions, box-like exteriors and roofs, and large but narrow multi-paned windows. Builders limited ornamentation to simple detail around entrances, windows, and cornices. The occasional use of curvilinear forms adds to the lightness and delicacy which is typical of this style. Because the style was popular so early in Indiana's history (from about 1810 to 1840), most examples are located in southern Indiana, especially near navigable waterways and early roads.
Examples of Federal Style
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Levi Coffin House
Fountain City, Fountian County
Photo - Courtesy of http://www.waynet.org/