Front Porch Social

When Eleanor Roosevelt designed this town in 1935, she envisioned such neighborly interactions and encouraged the construction of homes with front porches. Little did she know that such would help a community to cope with and heal from a global pandemic lasting a couple of years.
I chose to draw this particular porched home due to the story told to me by the resident. As the builder of his own home, he chose the Town of Eleanor due to his and his wife’s strong desire to enjoy such regular neighborly gestures and they felt encouraged to see so many homes with front porches.

During the pandemic, front porches became social light houses, permitting residents to wave “Hello!” to their neighbors, and even to call out their latest news. These small threads of connection over time wove into a cultural fabric that helped to hold communities together.