Can you imagine living in Southwest Florida without air conditioning? The brutally hot and humid Florida summer is the "mother of invention," when it comes to innovative home design. One of our featured homes that we recently sold here in LaBelle was of this style.
Florida is a tropical paradise filled with cracker style homes reminiscent of days gone by. In the LaBelle area, you can still find a few examples of cracker style homes, including the Captain Hendry House. These homes are typically one story and placed on a pier and pile foundation. This type of foundation to decrease moisture in the home.
The roofs on these homes are typically steep metal roofs that have wide overhangs. The porches on these homes protect against the hot Florida sun and popup rainstorms that are common in the area. A Florida cracker home has many windows to help improve airflow through the house and make it more comfortable for the homeowners. This type of home may have a chimney constructed of stone, stucco or brick.
Cracker style homes may differ; however, there are two key things that define the architecture of a cracker styled home - ventilation and shade. These buildings are typically shallow and have large openings to improve cross ventilation. Also, a central stairway can improve ventilation. The stairs lead to a cupola to help remove warm air from the home. Deep porches and long roof overhangs increase shade and prevent water from settling around the foundation.
A cracker style home is typically rustic and incorporates straight lines and simple details. Most homes are square shaped; however, some homes will have a wing.
As you drive around the LaBelle area, keep an eye out for the "cracker style" homes.
