The Italianate style is a distinct 19th-century phase in architectural history. The style combines inspiration from architectural vocabulary of 16th century Italian Renaissance architecture. First developed in Britain around 1802 by John Nash with the construction of Cronkhill in Shropshire. It achieved huge popularity in the United States through the architectrual work of Alexander Jackson Davis.
A personal favorite of mine is The Chalfonte Hotel in Cape May, NJ, recognized as the oldest original hotels in Cape May and established in 1876. During a college program in Historic Preservation sponsored by the University of Maryland, I spent time learning and working on this historic property. A truly memorable experience.
In our region there are several examples of Italianate style architecture.
