You’ll find them in older neighborhoods in towns across the Central Valley, from Fresno’s Tower District to Bakersfield’s Oleander/Sunset. The story of the Craftsman style bungalow, today on KVPR’s Central Valley Roots.
Born out of the Arts and Crafts movement, the Craftsman style was popular nationwide from around 1905 through the 1930s, but especially in California. The style emphasized natural materials, like wood and stone, embraced simplicity, and an appreciation for the value of hand-crafted designs, often with a rustic flavor. Craftsman-style homes often had low rooflines and prominent porches, providing shade from the harsh valley sun.
The movement was a response to various societal and design trends at the time. It was a rejection of mechanization and mass production brought about by the industrial revolution. Craftsman homes emphasized simplicity, in response to the over-the-top gingerbread that characterized Victorian-era homes. The style also embraced globalism, incorporating influences from Asian art and design. Even the word bungalow has roots that go back to India.
The Craftsman style was popularized by furniture designer Gustav Stickley. His magazine The Craftsman presented different designs for bungalows. A 1909 edition promotes a design Stickley created for a Fresno family, which he later said became one of his most popular designs. Ironically, many of the bungalows you’ll see today were actually mass produced and sold in kits sold by retailers like Sears and Montgomery Ward.
