Where Did The Front Porch Go?
Why are front porches a thing of the past in new developments? We have taken our life to the backyard. When the front porch was replaced with a garage and activities were moved from the front yard to the backyard with tall privacy fences, personal jungle gyms, trampolines and pools, we exchanged a sense of community and belonging for perceived safety.
Before, when we were hanging out on our front porch, mowing our own lawns and watching our kids play, encounters with neighbors and others in the community were inevitable. You knew your neighbors and knew each others needs. There was a sense of pride, ownership and responsibility to each other. The front porch was not just an architectural feature but made up the fabric of our neighborhoods. Social interactions with your neighbors that were once inevitable now have to be intentional. You see this in suburban communities with driveway parties and cul-de-sac gatherings.
We long for the human interaction and acceptance. It is why we are drawn to shows like The Andy Griffin Show, Cheers, Friends, Big Bang Theory, and Seinfeld. As different as they are, each one revolves around a place of belonging. As humans we crave for this. It doesn’t matter if you are an introvert or extrovert you want your place of belonging. Your interaction may look different but your need is the same.
My sister and her family went through a phase of RV camping. She and a group of friends had RVs and a membership at a campground they frequented often. I always liked to tag along on these trips. While I struggle sitting around doing nothing all day, the element that I truly enjoyed was the instant community created in the RV Park. No one rolled up to their camp site, went into their RV and stayed there until it was time to leave. Which is what we tend to do in our suburban homes.
The early risers rolled out of bed, grabbed their coffee and ventured out to the lawn chairs already set up under the awning from the late night crew the night before. From their “front porch” they could see the other early birds in which nods and pleasantries were exchanged. It was a time to be alone with your thoughts without the feeling of being alone. Much of the cooking and grilling was done outside. Often groups rotated who cooked breakfast each morning and families came together for meals.
Community crafts and gathering happen at a pavilion. Kids rode their bikes throughout the park. For a long weekend the idealistic community was created and experienced. Since the culture of the front porch has been replace with life in the backyard, we have found ways to recreate the experience with expensive RVs and vacations.
One of my favorite outcomes of a revitalized downtown is the restoration of the front porch culture. It is an opportunity to breakdown barriers that prevent us from knowing our neighbors and to move activities back to the front yard and into our community.
Written by: Katie Neason
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