Georgetown, PA Photo by Don Parker ca 1960 (Anna L and John F Nash Collection)
Front porches are exclusively American. Designs of new homes which appear in magazines no longer display large built-in porches. A cement patio or a small extension in the front does not constitute a porch. Perhaps it is the price on materials; the extra roof; repair expenses over the years for their disappearance.
Thomas W Poe Home ca 1890 then owned by R Laughlin (Frances and John Finley Collection)
Many old homes in Georgetown show traces of once having large porches overlooking the Ohio River. In fact, most of the homes built by steamboat captains had second story porches. Those porches were their window on the world. It afforded the captain the opportunity to monitor the water level of the river.
Capt Thomas Washington Poe had a two story porch overlooking the Ohio. Capt Jackman Taylor Stockdale, downriver next door, also had a second story porch. It is highly probable that Ca[t Thomas Stevenson Calhoon upriver next door, also had a second story porch. Both Capt Andrew Hague Parr and Capt George Washington Ebert had their windows on the river. It is claimed that Capt Adam Poe had the grandest porch of all about one mile upriver. Unfortunately, his home burned leaving no photographic evidence.
Capt Andrew H Parr Home ca 1900 GPN
All sorts of furniture was found on these porches. Hickory rocking chairs, love seats, chain swings. To keep up with the Calhoons, the Eberts planted wisteria along the edges. These porches turned into grandstands for friends and relatives at summer parties and reunions.
Today, many families prefer to stay inside to enjoy the air-conditioned coolness rather than the hot summer breezes. Old fashioned porches are almost as obsolete as the packets on the river.
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