Brick Siding
From the row houses of New York to the mining towns of California, brick is a time-honored building material. These days, however, builders in most areas of the United States don't use brick to build load-bearing walls for homes. Instead, they place thin brick veneer over a wood frame or concrete blocks. 
Brick is an expensive siding choice - you pay dearly for the material as well as its installation. But once installed, brick requires little maintenance and holds its charm.