The twelfth and thirteenth centuries saw a massive shift in the population of Europe. People moved from the countryside into towns, which grew in size to become cities with businesses, schools and trade. Cathedrals became the religious, cultural, and social centers and universities replaced the monasteries as learning centers. Fresh ideas and technical knowledge were spawned in these cities, from the newly found freedom emerged Gothic architecture.

The word Gothic is a misnomer, having nothing to do with the barbarian Goths of the fifth century. Today, gothic art is synonymous with new energy and dynamic style. Unity is the key word in Gothic architecture; interiors and exteriors belong together and are similarly decorated. Structure, aesthetics, purpose, and meaning are fused together to present an organic whole. This unity is sometimes a wondrous accomplishment, considering that the buildings took several generations to complete.

There are several features that characterize Gothic construction. There is an overall feeling of verticality as if reaching toward heaven. Pointed arches provided greater height and more open area and they also changed the thrust of the vault to a more vertical direction. The addition of flying arches and tower buttresses eliminated the need for solid, thick walls. Usually there are at least three main portals in the façade and sometimes a huge round window is placed over the main portal or at the ends of the transepts. All of these are found in most Gothic architecture. Possibly, the most famous example of Gothic architecture is Chartes Cathedral, which is located in Chartes, France.

St. John's Church is a perfect example of Gothic Architecture. The building was completed in 1886 and it took about 12 years to build. It was recently renovated in 1996. Another building is Clinton with similar characteristics is the Congregational Church.

St. John's Church - Union Street

Congregational Church - Walnut Street

-Jennifer

The Victorian era came with the long reign of Britain's Queen Victoria, which lasted from 1837 to 1901. In the last decades of her reign- from about 1860 to 1900, American architecture, the styles that were popular were referred to as "Victorian".

Most Victorian styles are loosely based on medieval prototypes. Some common features are multi-textured or multi-colored walls, strongly asymmetrical facades, and steeply pitched roofs. These details, superimposed on generally medieval forms, mean that most Victorian styles tend to overlap each other without the clear-cut stylistic distinctions that separate the Greek, Gothic, and Italianate modes of the preceding Romantic era. This architectural experimentation continued beyond Victorian times to reach a climax in the early decades of the 20th century when the first truly modern styles-Craftsman and Prairie-rose to popularity.

In the 19th century, glass and iron, were the materials used frequently in the building these unique buildings. The Gothic revival designated a return to the building styles of the Middle Ages. Gothic revival was practiced throughout Europe; it attained its greatest importance in the United States and England. It was a fanciful, magical style freed from the absolute correctness of the classical revivals. It was widely used for churches, colleges, and other public buildings, but many homes also were built in the Gothic Style, an example can be seen in the Gaskill House, in Salisbury, North Carolina.

Many of the buildings in Clinton, Massachusetts deal with Victorian Gothic styles in architecture. Such as downtown for instance, most of the buildings there are Victorian, many of the homes located in-around the Central Park contribute to this lustrous style. The Foster Home which was built in 1882 is in "Stick Style" Victorian. Each room has décor made of a wood from a different country/continent.

Gaskill House-A Field Guide To American Houses, Virginia & Mcalester

Foster House - Chestnut Street, Clinton MA

- Megan