A Porch with a View

Porches have many uses. They can serve as a gathering place for socializing with acquaintances, friends, or family. Or they can provide the backdrop for solitary activities like reading or people-watching. As structures, they can provide visual interest. And they come in all shapes and sizes.

This photograph of men gathered on the porch of a North Carolina country store on a summer weekend afternoon packs a lot of information. From product signs and other clues we see the business provides gasoline, kerosene, beverages, and cigarettes. The men seem at ease and it’s easy to wonder how well they knew each other or what their shared experiences might have been in a segregated South.

Photographer Jim Hansen captured this colorful photograph of the Cooper family in early September of 1957, each member engaged with some aspect of farm life, on and around their front porch. The father holds a small pig, while an older child rests an arm around a cow and younger children seem to be shucking corn.

The man and woman in this photo from 1924 are eating a meal on the front porch of a row house. A tub of cottage cheese is prominently featured among the items on the table, and the view of the other porches down the line suggests they are alone among neighbors.

Sometimes even big porches support solitary activities, such as reading a newspaper. The mix of traditional and modern chairs stands out in this scene:

It is unclear if the boy sitting on this porch is waiting for someone, between activities, or just taking in some fresh air. Whatever the case, the Good Humor ice cream cart wouldn’t have been easy for him to miss.

Some porches are quite grand, and can easily host dozens of people.

Photos of unoccupied porches can be just as compelling as those hosting a crowd, like this one by Frances Benjamin Johnston of a residence in South Carolina. There are many details to draw the eye, such as a vine climbing up a window shutter, small glass panes around the front door, and a couple of small logs holding up the center of the porch.

The many angles and shadows are what catch my eye when I look at this artfully-framed photograph by architectural photographer Balthazar Korab:

Learn More:

• View additional porch images from the collections.
• See another blog post featuring a particularly stunning porch photograph.