Well I never....

Well I had never heard of a Shotgun Shack until today. Shotguns and shotgun weddings I was aware of. A shotgun shack is also referred to as a shotgun house/cottage or railroad apartments.

initially developed in the Southern states of the USA (post Civil War) as popular housing, by the 1950s this type of housing stood a symbol of poverty in American society. Predominately located in New Orleans, such structures can still be sighted in Chicago and California. Today such houses provide contention as to whether they should be retained and maintained as cultural heritage, or should be dismantled to make way for development.

I imagine this housing was similar to the now highly sought after single fronted Victorian housing that characterised the slums of Melbourne during the early 1900s. Moreover, like single fronted Victorians had larger relatives described as double fronted Victorians, Shotgun Shacks also developed other versions, the 'double-barrel' and 'camel back.'

The term "shotgun" was derived from the saying that one could fire a shot through the front door and the bullets would fly cleanly through the house and out the back door. Conversely, there is also an argument that names origin may be reflective of possible African architectural heritage. Interesting.....

The things we learn.