If you have any interest at all in home styles and architecture, you'll find Savannah is rich with examples. This year on my blog I will be posting various examples of styles from the Savannah historic district, the victorian district and some of the craftsman style from areas like Ardsley Park.
The style of the one pictured here is called Second Empire, very popular in the 1860s and 1870s, influenced by Gothic Reviival and the Italianate styles. Eclecticism was coming into vogue, and combination of styles was seen as the next step forward to finding the picturesque in asymmetry, trying to capture the best from all.
The style came from France and is named in reference to Napoleon III. The mansard roof, typical of the Second Empire style, is named after a 17th century architect, Francois Mansart. The mansard roof is a double-pitched roof with a steep lower slope. This type roof is a definite indentifying feature of the Second Empire style. I have found a couple dozen examples around Savannah.