Houses in the historic district of Key West, Florida, for example, whether new or remodeled, must be built of wood in a traditional style, and there are only a few permissible colors of paint, white being preferred. [/bold]
In the US, regional styles of speech have always been associated with regional styles of building: the Midwestern farmhouse, the Southern plantation mansion, and the Cape Cod cottage all have their equivalent in spoken dialect. (①) These buildings may be old and genuine, or they may be recent reproductions, the equivalent of an assumed rather than a native accent. (②) As James Kunstler says, “half-baked versions of Scarlett O’Hara’s Tara now stand replicated in countless suburban subdivisions around the United States.” (③) In some cities and towns, especially where tourism is an important part of the economy, zoning codes may make a sort of artificial authenticity compulsory. (④) From the street these houses may look like the simple sea captains’ mansions they imitate. (⑤) Inside, however, where zoning does not reach, they often contain modern lighting and state-of-the-art kitchens and bathrooms.