Ms. Effie lived in a shotgun house. Her room was near the back, and the hallway went straight to the front door. There were three other rooms down the hall on both sides that led into the living room. Mr. Effie was 82 years old and still ran a little country store beside her house. One night, Ms. Effie heard a noise. Someone was on the front porch, and when she looked at the old wind up clock on the bedside nightstand, it was 3:00 a.m.
Ms. Effie grabbed her ever-ready double barrel shotgun, went into the hallway at the back of the house and yelled, "who's out there"? No one answered, but she still heard noises. She yelled once more. "I said, who's out there. I'll count to three and somebody better speak up"? Not a word was spoken, but someone was still near her front door. Ms. Effie let both barrels go. She then heard a man yell, "Oh, dammit, I'm hit" and ran off.
This was back in the days when no one had a phone, or if they did, there was no 911 to call. She stayed up for a few more minutes and went back to bed. Ms. Effie was a tough ole' bird if there ever was one. The next day she opened her store on time, as usual, and was sitting behind the counter when an old drunk who was always hanging around came through the doors. The old bells jingled as the door opened.
He walked over to the cooler and grabbed a Coke Cola, then slowly strolled over to the check-out counter and tipped his hat to Ms. Effie. His right hand was bandaged and both of them knew exactly what the other was thinking. The man said, "Good morning Ms. Effie', it's a pretty day out there ain't it". Ms. Effie said, "Yeah, J.T., it is, but they are calling for some rain". J.T. paid for his Coke and walked toward the door. "Have a good day Ms. Effie" he said. "You do the same J.T", Ms. Effie said.
The above is a true story and it happened to Terri's grandmother. She was long gone when I met Terri, but I've heard stories about how tough this old woman was. The subject came up when I mentioned "shotgun houses" to Terri. I wanted to show a few pictures and explain what they were and how they got the name and that was a perfect example.
Shotgun houses have many names. Shotgun shacks, Shotgun huts and Shotgun cottages to name a few. I live in a re-modeled shotgun house myself. When I came to the south in 1968, these houses were everywhere. They are still plentiful around here and all over the south, mostly in small towns that are on their last legs. Farmers used to put 2 and 3 families in these houses. Mostly Blacks at one time, but now it's mostly Mexican illegals who help with the tobacco and other crops on a farm.
Like the row of houses above, these houses originated in Africa. From there to Haiti and New Orleans and beyond. If you remember the destruction in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, the poor section called the Lower Ninth Ward was almost totally destroyed. Many of those houses where very similar to the ones above. What these people went through was hell, yet they are building it back, one house at a time.
The name may very well go all the way back to Africa. They had buildings for people to meet in that were called "to-gun", or "place of assembly". Maybe it's all three or something all together different, who knows. I was just curious and looked this stuff up on Wikipedia.
This is a new house that was build that really looks nice and quaint and would be great for the homeless, elderly or disabled in this country A person who has a home, no matter the size of cost, feels like they are somebody and not just a drain on society. For the price of one unmanned Drone, you could probably build a 100,000 of these homes. Priorities. If only politicians could prioritize and stop wasting our national treasure on murdering people.
The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in the Lower Ninth Ward, New Orleans~~ Mother Nature is large and in-charge, always!
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Comments
I recently read about a family of four that was tired of struggling with the costs of running a large home. They sold their and built a "shot gun house. They soon realized the "stuff" they had accumulated over the years had more material value than emotional value.
How sad is it that folks can find more pleasure in their materialistic belongings than in their life's own treasures.
~R
HUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
A friend of mine lived in a renovated shot gun house in Palo Alto, it felt very odd to me but she loved it.
Wonderful post
rated with love
Jerry, yeah, I think they made Elvis's house a museum. Must be a very small one!:`)
Miguela Holt y Roybal (love it), I've had rooms built on my house, but it was a shotgun house 75 years ago.
Linda, I can feel that hug all the way from Canada!
Christine, when I first saw the rows and rows of houses here when I moved,I couldn't figure out why every house looked the same. Even painted white, all of them. I realized they bought the paint by the 55 gal. drums and white-washed them all as they were built.
Jon, thank my man~
RP, her grandmother was a tough old southern girl who didn't take no sh...,Thanks~
And a great tune to close it out! I have not listened to Jr. Walker in years. It was time travel, it was.
And as for shotgun houses, well...I remember them VERY well. Lots of relations had 'em, and they absolutely fascinated me! So between the pics, the story and one of my favorite SONGS...you have reminded me of many, many things today! Bless your heart...
Around here--------------------> in Essex they'd sell for half a million of your US Bucks, but then a beach hut goes for up to 120k of our Brit Pounds which are worth approx 1.5 $ each.
You paint a good picture my Man,
"Press send please FRed(tm) and fetch the firearms Boy, it's Deer season."
R
Lezlie
ah, she takes, makes love
just like a woman.
breaks like a lil girl.
petulant and murderous. out for blood.
More male maturity would help the situation, i think.
Shotgun house was explained to me thusly when I lived in Louisiana - they are a house that is situated in structure so that one may stand either in front or in back, heft Ms Effie's gun and fire in the opposite direction with a clean path to the target, whether via hallway or simply open doorways.
Loved it Scan and Ms Effie, we all need a Ms Effie in our family tree :).
Rated for memories.
R