As settlers in New England started to build cities and permanent homes in the late 1700’s, they called upon the influences of the English style they were accustom to and invented the original American starter home.  They were economically designed and the steeply pitched simple roof lines and clapboard siding helped them hold up to the area’s notorious weather.

The homes made a comeback in the 1930’s when depression era economics made the affordable style more popular, but also satisfied the fashion of colonial revival.  Common features are decorative shutters framing the windows and coved ceilings in the living room.

Then in the late 1940’s there was a booming demand for easy-to-build small homes for returning veterans and their young families.  Entire communities and neighborhoods were built with nearly identical Cape Cod homes.  Levittown, New York being the most famous example.  You can find entire Cape Cod blocks in the Nokomis neighborhood. 

The home allows for expansion, either off the back or up into the half story with a variety of dormers.  Hundreds of once identical homes have since evolved to be as varied as the rest of the homes and the people of Minneapolis.