The Upland South
The Upland South is generally coterminous Southern Appalachia, but colonies of migrants from this region scattered the regional influences into the Ozarks, parts of Texas, Arkansas and the Piney-Woods regions of the Gulf States. This folk region is Southern, but unlike the Lowland South, this region did not rely heavily on plantation agriculture, and therefore African influences are less evident.
At one point, the most common folk house was probably a simple structure called, the "cabin and porch" house. Dogtrot cabins and Saddlebag cabins appear to be derivations of the cabin and porch and feature prominently in the folk housing stock of the region. Sub- regional variations can be found, many of which feature adaptive design elements to suit local climate or resources.
Common design features include attached/external chimneys, modest size and decoration, frequent wood construction, and ample porch space.
Cabin and Porch
The modest cabin and porch is a single-pen cabin or house (wood floor) with an attached porch. This design permits owners to easily expand to a two-room structure. The design is also somewhat portable, allowing for disassembly and transport in the case of crop failure or economic ruin. The impermanence perhaps a pre-cursor to the mobile home
Saddle Bag House
The Saddle Bag House is distinguished by its peculiar design that features a central chimney flanked by two rooms, that often appear to have been constructed separately, and often without internal passage door, in favor of a twin front doors and a single verandah porch. Modern examples are often hard to distinguish from post-industrial replicas.
Dog Trot House
Dog Trot Houses are scattered across the region. These houses feature two non-adjacent story-and-a half rooms (or pens) attached by a single common roof under which two door open to a central breezeway that functions as a third living space. This breezeway is the likely source of the house's colorful nomenclature.