Wednesday, April 8, 2009

J. B. Jackson

The garage has come a long way since its initial iteration as part of a stable/barn with chaufer quarters above. The main difference in garages since these barns has been its addition to the main house, and the improved and sole functionality it provided for many families. But this sole functionality would soon end as the garage became something more than a place to put and take care of your car. The garage was for old kitcken cabinets for storage, old refridgerators for storage, and everything else not wanted in the house, for storage. Also, depending on the families usage of their cars, the garage could be transformed into a useable living space. Screens put infront of the garage door opening instead of the garage door were used. Also, some familes opted to remove the garage entirely, and transform the garage into another living room entirely. But many people still use their garages for cars, and that functionality has not left.

*Sorry for the low quality post, these are my ideas that I came up with while reading Jackson. I had forgot about the assignment till early this week, and I've been too sick to even read the computer screen document. I will provide more details on this topic when I wake up tomorrow and can actually sit up and type. Thank you for your understanding.

(continuation:)

I know that the garage that I have at my house is chocked full of car related stuff, and probably would have been similar to the ones that chaufers would have dreamed about. It includes a lift and every tool imaginable to build/fix/clean a car. That is in start comparison to my next door neighbor's garage that not only lacks tools to fix a car, but was used for many years (probably 30-40) as the man's personal workshop. There were 4 uniquely different zones in the garage, and each was useful for a different reason. And he could build anything you wanted out of his garage, but just don't ask him to park your car in there.

The garages, from what I can tell, usually looked somewhat like the house they were attached to/owned by. The next door neighbor who has the cape house (both of them, from my previous post), have detached garages about 20 or so paces from their back door that match the style of their house. The brick house has a brick garage while the paneled house has a paneled garage. Once inside the garage, they all look the same. A big open space with windows in the back and side not attached to the garage, concrete floor (usually cracked right down the middle), and maybe some counters at the back of the garage. Rarely do you find a house that has another garage door going into the backyard (which I think is unbelievably cool), or one that is not a square (I've seen one that is a two car garage, but one side of the garage also goes back another two car lengths!).

To comment upon Sutton Lane, I'd like to say that many of those structures do NOT look like they were ever intented for garage usage. Most likely (in the case of the white house with big wooden doors) was probably used as a horse stable. The other small, tiny box garages were probably built one at at time by owners that wanted to have a garage on their street. Also, I was suprised to see the backyards open right up to Sutton Lane. I especially liked the houses that only had a covering for their car, whether there was no garage, or just no garage door! Lastly, I am surpised at the utter run-down look of the neighborhood, and suprised that not even one of the garages look in decent shape.