There is perhaps no architectural feature that conveys a sense of home, warmth and community like the front porch. And yet, what was once a staple of American life is often skipped in modern homes. What happened to the porch?
“It’s sociological, it’s aesthetic, technological, it has all the different aspects of life,” says Renee Kahn, a historic preservationist and retired art history professor who, with the architectural designer Ellen Meagher, authored the 1990 book “Preserving Porches.” She explains that the porch became possible after the Industrial Revolution when manufacturing made prefabricated parts easy to come by. The growth of leisure time in the 1800s made the idea of a place to relax and socialize particularly appealing. Read more.
