Rural vs. Urban Dogtrots
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A dogtrot is a type of house common throughout the rural Southern states and Appalachia, characterized by two single units separated by a central breezeway (the dogtrot) and joined under a common roof.
According to folklore, dogtrots earned their name because you could hear the family dog walking through the breezeway. In some parts of the country this housing type is called a “possum trot” for the same reason.
The origin of the dogtrot is controversial and theories range from an English origin to a Finnish one, but experts agree that it is a form of vernacular architecture specifically adapted to act as a primitive form of air conditioning, and were quite effective at keeping the home cool during the hot summer months.
The style was popular among rural Louisiana’s more modest plantation owners and large farm owners who favored dogtrots as their main house. The central breezeway was not only useful in cooling the house, it also provided a sheltered workspace and a good place to tack horses.
The urban New Orleans variety are distinct from rural dogtrots, having been adapted for city living. The breezeway was still an effective cooling mechanism, but instead of being used as additional workspace, it served as a pass-through to the back of the property. With smaller lot size and no livestock to care for, New Orleans dogtrots typically have breezeways that span 2-3 feet compared to the 6-8 foot width of their rural counterparts. This makes New Orleans dogtrots a unique adaptation to our housing conditions and culture.
Despite this distinction, there are not many dogtrots left in New Orleans. Most are concentrated around the Mid-City/Treme boundary and in the Lower Garden District, although a few are found in the Faubourg Marigny and New Marigny neighborhoods. New Orleans dogtrots are a unique form of vernacular architecture that should be preserved, as there is still a great deal that remains to be learned about their origins and building technique.
Click here to view our photo set of New Orleans dogtrots, and if you are aware of any dogtrots that are not found in our set please let us know!
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2 Comments
November 4th, 2009 at 2:26 PM
[...] and their connection to rural dogtrots . More about this historic housing type can be found here [...]
November 18th, 2009 at 10:22 AM
[...] Dogtrot houses are among the most rare type of house forms in New Orleans. Scattered mainly in the oldest downtown neighborhoods, they are characterized by a central breezeway that separates two single units under a common roof. These breezeways are 2-3 feet wide, conducive to natural, cooling circulation; in other words, dogtrots have their own natural air conditioning system and are “green” by nature. Dogtrots are typically found in rural settings and New Orleans is the only city to adopt it to our urban setting. This rare type of New Orleans vernacular architecture is specific to our city and should be preserved. Sister Dogtrots on Iberville St. in Mid City [...]