John J. G. Blumenson

A great book - exactly what it says, a guide to Ontario architecture from the late 1700s to 1990. Although the copyright date is 1990, some pictures appear much older, and where necessary (when a building has been demolished) he uses archival photos.

Thousands of black-and-white pictures illustrate the styles, from Georgian to Post-Modern. Covers all kinds of structures, from the obvious houses to office and government buildings, but also a gas station and several utilities.

I was looking for show more the proper name of the type of house I think of as an "Ontario cottage", but the basic style of a center gable seems to belong to various styles - Neoclassical, Regency, often Gothic Revival - depending on the windows and trim.

A valuable reference book, but also excellent for browsing. Very fun to look for town names and say "I recognize that house!"; or in my case, "hey, that's my high school!". show less

This is quite a handy little book to carry around with you if you're interested in visiting historic homes and buildings throughout the United States. It is broken down into styles and regions of the country. Included are photographs and identifiers that make recognition of American architectural styles immediate. Additionally, there is a concise glossary of terms with photos that helps tremendously as well. Short, to the point, and effective.