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Shotgun homes are iconic for their presence in New Orleans.

These small,single-story spacesare only one room wide and two to three rooms deep.

You walk through each room without any hallways to get to the next.

Shotgun homes

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What is a Shotgun House?

A shotgun house is characterized by its narrow, rectangular shape and linear arrangement of rooms.

The design features a series of rooms placed one behind the other, with doors at each end.

Shotgun Homes

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So, what exactly do shotgun homes look like?

And what sets them apart?

Read on to learn more about the style and features of these homes.

Shotgun Homes

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The style of shotgun homes is influenced by these various cultures.

The homes became especially common following the population boom of the 1800s when housing demand increased.

Shotgun homes initially served lower-income,working-class neighborhoodsas they were built by nearby factories to house workers.

Shotgun Homes

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Because of their association with poverty, shotgun homes started to dwindle in popularity by the late 1900s.

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Key Features of Shotgun Homes

Shotgun homes have the following key features.

Beyond interpersonal connections, shotgun homes also formed the social fabric of the city.

Shotgun Homes

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Shotgun homes are believed to be most prevalent in New Orleans.

Rooms in shotgun homes are directly connected.

It is also sometimes called a shotgun cottage or hut.

A double barrel shotgun, is a building made up of two identical shotgun houses sharing a center wall.

Set against each other in reverse, this allows more houses to be fit into an area.