Two-Pen

The Two-Pen is a one-story, two-unit (or -room), end-gable structure. This very plain house style usually lacks front porches, which are otherwise very very common in 19th century houses. These houses usually have had several additions added over the decades; hence, they have sometimes very irregular shapes.  The original floor plan might be two-rooms wide, only one-room deep, and one-story high. Versions with 1.5-stories also exist.  In Eau Claire many of these houses are used as student rentals -- look for the old sofas, bikes, and pizza boxes on the porches!  This style is one of five subtypes of Folk Victorian, which you should examine as well.

Two-pen houses commonly have several additions: A is the original two-room unit; B might be another bedroom; and C could be a large new kitchen and family room.

one addition

greatly modified

Most Two-Pen houses have these features:
1 story
gable roof
originally, two-rooms wide, one-room deep
usually has several additions added

Created by Brandy Reilly, 6 June 1997; last revised on 27 September 2005.