Shotgun House

The Conservancy is excited to present two new tour experiences, leaving from the Shotgun House the second Saturday and Sunday of each month!

Far more than a history lesson, the MAIN STREET WALK focuses on the vibrant hub of  our local Ocean Park neighborhood, upon which its histories are written. Upcoming walks leave from the Shotgun House the second Saturday of the month at 10:30. The event is free but please RSVP by clicking HERE.

AND

The Conservancy’s THIRD STREET WALK reveals the architectural and historical highlights and evolution of Santa Monica’s very first historic district, established in 1990. The neighborhood contains 27 original bungalows built between 1903 and 1915, as well as four structures from the late 1800s. Upcoming walks leave from the Shotgun House the second Sunday of the month at noon. This event is also free, and also requires and RSVP HERE.

More About the Shotgun House

Built in 1897, the little house features three original rooms where you can explore Santa Monica history and learn about heritage conservation. Look behind the walls and the floor to reveal vintage materials, and see if you can find the one original window in the Shotgun House. Young guests will also enjoy the miniature model house decorated with Victorian-era furnishings that were popular when our shotgun house was first built!

Are you a local property owner who needs help with landmarking and/or other various preservation concerns? The Preservation Resource Center is here for you! Just email us at [email protected] and we’ll put you in touch with someone who can help.

History of the Shotgun House

The Shotgun House was built in 1897 at 2712 Second Street in Ocean Park. In the 1890s Ocean Park was being subdivided and settled and was growing fast as a resort area. In Ocean Park’s first phase of development, shotgun houses were built or brought in by rail to serve as vacation cottages near the beach. This house was originally located just two blocks from the Santa Fe railroad depot in Ocean Park and within easy reach of the area’s tourist attractions. As such it is linked with one of Santa Monica’s oldest and most important industries: tourism.

Architectural historians believe this type of house was first seen in the Caribbean (resulting from a blend of African and European influences). By the early nineteenth century this modest type of structure had become ubiquitous in the rural South and was particularly common as dwellings for African-Americans.

Inexpensive to build, easy to transport and adaptable to diverse purposes, the shotgun style spread across the country during the nineteenth century. Shotgun houses found use during the Civil War as field housing, sprung up in mining towns across the West, sheltered railroad workers laying tracks across the nation, and offered economical shelter for people of limited means in many communities. In Santa Monica and other resort areas, shotgun homes were also useful as vacation cottages.

Our Shotgun House is a good example of the form with three small rooms lined up in a row. (See shotgun houses across the U.S.) Like most shotgun houses, this board-and-batten structure features a covered front porch and a gabled roof. Ornamentation is minimal but the diamond-shaped shingles on the front gable provide a hint of Queen Anne styling. (Originally the house also included some Victorian scrolled brackets on the porch posts.) Though presently enclosed, several sash windows on both sides of the house once provided light and ventilation.