I read about a shotgun house for the first time so long ago now, I can’t remember where it was.

It’s a small design perfect for tiny and narrow lots that may have originated in Africa or Haiti.

The house is characterized by rooms that are stacked in a line without a hallway.

Nevertheless, the floorplans took hold in the American South and became common homes for the poor and lower middle class.

The most obvious feature of the home is its simplicity and unique ability to allow the outside air to pass thru the entire house.

You can see how these would be popular in hot climates with little electricity.

Rising living standards that made indoor air conditioning more common have made this home a throwback to a different era.

But I still like them.

Truth be told, it reminds me of Alabama.

And Alabama reminds me of my family.