Owing to its unique architecture, a Berkley Avenue home in Jenkintown has had neighbors refer to it as the “Gingerbread House.” The description fits, as the dwelling has a storybook quality about it, born of its West Coast architect. Tiffani Sherman explained for Beaumont Enterprise.

Its distinct look came from the design of Gustav Weber (1870–1960) who, in 1926, created only 200 homes of its Calif. style — Spanish/Pueblo Revival or Mission Bungalow — in Montgomery County.

They are laid out in a community whose streets bear the names of California towns; this one with an obvious spelling variant.

In his sketches, Weber referred to this structure as the “Airplane House.” But locals, reacting perhaps to its unique angles and profile, call it the “Gingerbread House.”

“This is very unique architecture for Pennsylvania,” said realtor Frank Blumenthal. “We don’t have these cute little Hollywood bungalow-style homes. These are non-cookie-cutter homes.”

He continued: “Mostly with these bungalows, you don’t see a lot of 90-degree angles. They’re all rounded corners, which builders hate to do because it’s a lot more work.”

Blumenthal also theorizes that the real estate opportunity might be best for an empty nester, given its 1,050 sq. ft. size.

More on Jenkintown’s Gingerbread House is at Beaumont Enterprise.

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Curious about the specifics of Spanish Revival architecture that was such a part of early Hollywood? This video explains its visual hallmarks.