The Sanford House on Lincoln Avenue

The term “Painted Lady” has now become part of the American vernacular and describes a Victorian house of three or more colors.  The painting scheme is also called “polychrome”. 

The term was first used for San Francisco Victorian houses by writers Elizabeth Pomada and Michael Larsen in their 1978 book Painted Ladies – San Francisco’s Resplendent Victorians.  There has since been sequels to the popular book, which has never been out of print since its first publication.

Fall River has a particularly fine collection of these glorious homes both in the Historic Highlands or “The Hill” section of the old mill town, and also in the south end of the city.  “Painted Lady” refers to the Victorian disdain for using too much make-up, paint and powder, which became associated with showgirls, ladies of the evening and actresses.  By using three or more colors on the intricate gingerbread details of these homes, highlighting the architectural elements is achieved.

The exquisite Queen Anne in the photographs below, the Sanford House, is located on Lincoln Avenue, and was recently repainted in October 2007.  It is surely one of the loveliest homes on The Hill and a favorite of locals.

As the world becomes more hurried and streamlined, a certain nostalgia for the workmanship and attention to detail has rekindled in today’s generation.  These amazing homes are being once again appreciated as testimonials to a slower, more gracious time when neighbors stopped to visit over lemonade on the porch, ladies bent over their needlework in wicker chairs, and children were happy to toss a ball on immaculate rolling lawns.  Fall River is rich in architectural heritage- may it ever be so.

Before The Rescue

In Bygone Days