<P> The double - width shotgun is an extra-large and - wide shotgun house, built on two lots instead of one . These were typically built one - to - a-block in locations where a single person would first buy the entire city block during development, then build themselves a double - sized home and subdivide the rest of the block with single - lot homes . </P> <P> A combination, the Double Camelback shotgun, also exists . A minor variation is a side door allowing access to the kitchen, or a porch along the side extending almost the length of the house . </P> <P> "North shore" houses are shotgun houses with wide verandas on three sides . They were so named because most were built on the north shore of New Orleans' Lake Pontchartrain as summer homes for wealthy whites . </P> <P> The term may also refer to a different structure, common in rural areas and small towns, which takes the form of a small, long, free - standing house, generally made of wood, with no hallways . Unlike the larger terraced version, this is generally a single - storied dwelling, but it was still associated with poverty and popular partially because of its ability to make hot weather more comfortable . This building style can also be seen in a double shotgun style, made for use by one or two households . Both styles were commonly used in sawmill towns where examples still exist . </P>

Where did the term shotgun house come from