In any given city there prevails a typical architecture. Whether or not it is one of distinction, however, is what can make or break the unique character of a city – from cookie-cutters to triplexes, condos to shanties, yurts to mansions, one’s recognition of a city’s veritable thumbprint relies on a prevailing dwelling structure not-so-typical of other areas.
In New Orleans there exists the shotgun home – lengthy and destitute of alternative passageway, it consists of a front room connected by a doorway to the next room, connected by a doorway to the next room, &c. These serial rooms number from two to four or five until the kitchen, connected by a doorway to a back room where, since initial construction, there has been built a washroom facility of some variety.
Very difficult in terms of mid-night bathroom trips and seductions if you have roommates, but beautiful buildings and fascinating folklore value – the facile passage through these houses generated many ideas about the entry of spirits. The construction of shotgun homes steeply declined after World War II to make way for the endowment of the industrial age, considering driveways and better design for the flow of air-conditioning.
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Lovely and elegant observations Lauren, and I love your sketch! I tried this earlier but the Mail* slot would not accept my geo-location…xoxo
The shotgun name is derived from the shape of the brackets which hold up the cantilevered roofs over the front porches. The long gun shape has the deep shoulder butt at the front wall and the muzzle of the gun (bracket) at the extremity of the roof. It is a picturesque analogy. The people of New Orleans are very proud and protective of their distinctive heritage of simple workers homes. Would that we Quebecers would be as proud and protective of what have in the way of the simple homes of our early industrial workers. See the illegal demolition of 226-228 rue Grant in Longueuil last weekend.
There was a brief episode in the eighties when shotguns were regarded as a symbol of poverty and inadequate in terms of housing, but as anyone can see, they can be quite elegant! Thankfully this mode of thought has dissipated and seems that for the most part, people have come to their senses. It’s nice to see some pride and recognition for the early working classes, and there are zillions of beautifully up-kept shotguns in the States.