Liberty Lifestyle: What Happened to the American Front Porch?

Before Americans had social media, they had the front porch. There were no friend requests, passwords, or algorithms, and if you wanted to know what was happening in the neighborhood, you simply pulled up a chair. From gossip and courting to political debates and keeping an eye on whose kid was up to no good, the front porch was part social network, part neighborhood watch, and part entertainment center.

Why the Front Porch Mattered

“If the world had a front porch like we did back then, we’d still have our problems, but we’d all be friends.” ~ Tracy Lawrence

The front porch has been around for a long time, but it became a popular social structure during the 1800s. Aside from being a place to cool off from hot summers in the South, it became a space that separated the privacy of the home and the public life of the neighborhood. Here is where people sat outside, talked with neighbors (and sometimes strangers) as they passed by, watched children play, entertained friends, and kept up with what was happening around them. The porch allowed people to socialize without formally inviting them into the house.

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Front porch culture became so embedded in American life that it appears prominently in classic literature, including Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird and Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God. Hurston captured the social role of the porch particularly well when she wrote, "It was the time to hear things and talk."

Peter MacKeith, an architectural educator quoted by the State Department, says the porch represents “openness, hospitality, welcoming generosity, dialogue, engagement, performance and cultural expression, all bound up in what seems to be a very simple, constructed space at the front door of your home.”

A 1998 study published in the peer-reviewed journal Environment and Behavior sought to discover whether the front porch encouraged neighborliness or if it was just an idea that is nostalgia for an earlier America. At the time, New Urbanism was a movement that was becoming popular among architects and city planners as a way to encourage neighbors to interact. Instead of being separated from the street by yards and garages, front porches, sidewalks, smaller front yards, and garages located behind the homes were introduced.

While front porch use wasn’t as prevalent as earlier times, it still became a social setting used in the same way. The way homes were designed made it easier for neighbors to interact. Another interesting fact is how the porches were used differently between males and females. Women in the study reported using the area more often than men for watching the children, preparing food, or doing arts and crafts.

President James A. Garfield also had a hand in making the front porch popular. In 1880, then a presidential candidate, Garfield conducted what became America’s first famous “front porch campaign.” At the time, those seeking office were usually expected to travel around to spread the word about their platforms, but Mr. Garfield decided to stay home at his farm in Mentor, Ohio. Americans ate it up and went to see him in droves. The National Park Service estimates that 15,000 to 17,000 people traveled to see him even though the population was only about 540 people.

Introducing the Backyard

Why did people start migrating from the front porch to the backyard? This trend started around the end of World War II. It was a time of great change in many aspects of life, including homes. After the war, Americans moved out of crowded cities and into new suburbs that many times came with private yards. This was also when the 40-hour workweek was becoming established, meaning people were moving into white-collar jobs, which meant more money and time to do home improvements.

Backyards used to be primarily a practical space where people grew crops and raised farm animals, but now it was becoming a place for relaxation and recreation. Postwar, these areas started featuring manicured lawns, patios, outdoor furniture, grills, and swimming pools. As the Smithsonian pointed out, manufacturers that had produced products needed for the war had to find new ways to sell their materials once the fighting ended. Aluminum was used for patio furniture, grilling tools, and other outdoor products. Concrete and chlorine became more readily available, helping families make private swimming pools that were now more affordable.

Other businesses, seeing a new market and income opportunity, quickly jumped on the bandwagon. Advertisements in magazines started showing the ideal American home as one with a beautiful lawn with a patio, barbecue grill, and outdoor furniture, sometimes even a swimming pool. Products started to be created geared towards this new idyllic life. In 1963, Pepsi for instance, introduced Patio Cola, which later became Diet Pepsi.

Having a pristine lawn and patio became somewhat of a status symbol, suggesting the family had enough income to devote a space that wasn’t needed just for work or farming. The Smithsonian pointed to a 1957 episode of I Love Lucy about building a backyard barbecue as an example of how this new lifestyle had become popular culture.

The front porch and backyard represent two very important and different aspects of American liberty. The first connected people to their neighbors and community while the second provided privacy. It’s a shame, though, to lose one over the other. Maybe Americans don't need another app designed to help us connect with the people around us. We may already have a piece of technology that worked pretty well. It's called a chair. And we put it on the front porch.