Balustrade

A decorative, fence-like feature called a balustrade often appears at the roofline of Federal Style houses. Balustrades are made up of a row of balusters, or spindles, set between columns. In the Gardner-Pingree house, the balustrade is the building's crowning feature. It conceals the low-pitched hipped roof behind it, helping to reinforce the rectangularity of the facade.