A shopkeeper rolls out an awning at the beginning of the workday; a family gathers under a porch awning on a late summer afternoon. These are familiar and compelling images of earlier urban and residential life in America. For two centuries, awnings not only played an important functional role, they helped define the visual character of our streetscapes. Yet, compared to historic photographs of downtowns and neighborhoods with myriad awnings, today's streets often seem plain and colorless.

Storefront awnings over sidewalks and entrances were typical features of American streetscapes for much of the 19th and 20th centuries. Photo of Larimer Street, Denver, Colorado, c. 1870, Denver Public Library, Western History Collection, x-22058.

Throughout their history, awnings have had great appeal. Along with drapes, curtains, shutters, and blinds they provided natural climate control in an age before air conditioning and tinted glass. By blocking out the sun's rays while admitting daylight and allowing air to circulate between interior and exterior, they were remarkably efficient and cost effective. Awnings permitted window-shopping on rainy days; they protected show window displays from fading due to sunlight. On the primary facade and near eye level, they were central to a building's appearance. Manufacturers came up with attractive, attention-getting awnings featuring distinctive stripes, ornate valances, and painted lettering and logos. With a wide range of color and pattern choices, owners could select an awning that complemented the building and get both style and function in a relatively affordable package.

Awnings were an easy way to dress up and distinguish homes of virtually any style. Image: Otis Awning Fabrics Company brochure, c. 1920s.

In recent years, building owners and others interested in historic buildings have rediscovered awnings. Local "main street" preservation programs encouraging-and in some cases funding-rehabilitation work have helped spur the awning's return. Continued concerns over energy efficiency have also persuaded building owners and developers to use awnings to reduce heat gain, glare, and cooling costs. Because awnings were so common until the mid-twentieth century, they are visually appropriate for many historic buildings, unlike some other means of energy conservation.

This Preservation Brief provides historical background information about diverse awning applications in the United States; suggests ways that historic awnings can best be maintained, repaired, and preserved; and recommends the varying circumstances in which replacement in kind, or new awning design may be appropriate for historic buildings.Historical Background »