house with front door on 2nd floor?

Weird question, but I thought someone on here might know the answer. In Maine and Vermont, do they have their front doors on the 2nd floor of the home? I have a vague recollection of hearing that in a class in high school, but I can't really find anything online right now or any pictures... It would make sense for the location and practicality, but I want to know if it's true. I'm a teacher and doing an architecture unit with my 4th graders...trying to fact check.... thanks!! :)

Re: house with front door on 2nd floor?

Yes, parts of upstate New York too. They have regular front doors and a second "front door" on the second floor so that when the 6 feet of snow blizzard hits they can get out of the house and are not trapped.

Re: house with front door on 2nd floor?

it makes sense with the snow - A raised ranch could be an example?

Re: house with front door on 2nd floor?

Speaking from experience (my family lives in Maine), no one has their door on the second floor. My brother lives in a High ranch but the front door is ground level. He does have a door off his porch on the side of the house.

My parents just purchased their home in early April & they have a ranch. Only 2 doors & they are both on ground level. We do have a summer place also & only one door.

I can understand the meaning of the second door in case of the high snow, but it also depends on the location you are living within the state. My brother lives in Central Maine & they have not seen weather in which they were snowed in in the time frame he has been living there

Re: house with front door on 2nd floor?

Here's an anecdote about houses with a door on the 2nd floor, for use when snow blocked the regular door:

http://tinyurl.com/2ndfloordoor

house with front door on 2nd floor?

we have a house in VT, and the door opens up to the main floor, but all the bedrooms are in the basement which kind of weird to us. There is another entrance to the basement level around the back of the house as well. It opens up into a mudroom to take all of your ski gear off, and then there are 3 bedrooms and 2 baths. Upstairs (main floor) is the kitchen, laundry room and living room/dining room, and then there is a loft

house with front door on 2nd floor?

The ski house I used to rent in VT had it's front door on the 2nd floor - opened to the main floor of the house with the kitchen, LR, DR etc. The downstairs (ground level) was a play room/den and laundry room and bedrooms were a level above the kitchen,LR level

house with front door on 2nd floor?

My DH grew up in northern VT and none of his family nor the houses in their area have doors on the second floor.