shotgun houses

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Scope note
Narrow houses of a particular type, in which all the rooms are in line with one another, usually front to back, and directly connected without hallways; often gable-fronted with ample front porches. They were common in the 19th century in southern United States cities, such as in African American communities in New Orleans. The term “shotgun house” is popularly believed to refer to the alignment of front and back doors, as if a bullet shot from the front door would pass through the house without hitting anything and exit through the back door. However, the term may have derived from the word “togun,” a Yoruba word meaning “house” or “gathering place.”
shotgun houses
Accepted term: 18-Nov-2024