Readers, Welcome to my blog (formerly Birds, Blooms, Books, etc). I'm entering a new decade taking on the challenge of moving from Maryland after living there 46 years and learning about my new home here in New England in the Live Free or Die state - New Hampshire. Join me as a write this new chapter of my life.

Monday, March 6, 2023

Is it a New Hampshire or New England Thing?

 Countless houses have front doors with no steps.  Other houses have front doors but never shovel the snow from them.  Why have those doors anyway?

Here are three examples:

No front stoop to step to the door.

No shoveled snow and it may hide the fact there's no stoop.


A glacier outside the front door.


Is this true where you live?

7 comments:

Tom said...

...no step wouldn't meet building codes here!

Anvilcloud said...

Since I haven’t noticed, I expect that it doesn't occur here much.

David M. Gascoigne, said...

Not something I have ever pondered or noticed.

Ana Dunk said...

I wonder if the custom of the locale is that everyone uses the back door as a means of keeping dirt (mud) from the "parlor", so to speak. Having no stoop would certainly discourage visitors from going in that direction. Is there no sidewalk leading to the front doors? Your (and mine) harsh winters would discourage people from trudging that much further from the driveway around to the front door, if the back door was closer and more convenient.

RuthW in MD said...

I think it's a New England thing. They often put in the front door, but wouldn't use it, preferring to use the side door. Our front door opened directly into the stairs and the front room. The side door had steps up to a small covered porch, and then opened straight into the kitchen. Most people used the side door.

Bindu said...

Wow! so much snow!!!

Faith said...

I live in the northern suburbs of Albany NY. In a development of cookie cutter houses. All of us either have a small front porch or a stoop. You have to have a step (at least one) for town codes. Here in our town anyways. I do know it is VERY common in New England to not have a front stoop or steps and also like us here in the burbs, most people don't use their formal front door. Everyone goes through the garage ( almost all garages here ar attached) and right to the kitchen door.