![\"takomabibelot](\"https:\/\/www.livabl.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/takomabibelot-close-up.jpg\")
<\/a>Photo:\u00a0takomabibelot\/Flickr<\/a><\/em><\/p>\nThe next time you\u2019re cruising the New England coast, in between bites of a lobster roll, be on the lookout for the region\u2019s curious architectural features. Once occupied by well-to-do captains, governors and physicians, the historic homes along the sea have been thoughtfully preserved, with placards beside the door to indicate the year in which they were built.<\/p>\n
Upon the roofs of many of these 19th century homes is a rectangular platform, bound by a low fence — a widow\u2019s walk. Inspired by the cupolas of Italianate architecture, these viewing platforms were said to have been used by the wives of mariners, who anxiously awaited their husbands\u2019 return to port.<\/p>\n
The widow\u2019s walk was typically accessed by a ladder that led up to a trap door. Most were open to the elements but there are examples of glass-enclosed cupolas. The platforms were especially popular during the height of the whaling industry, when sailors were often at sea for months or even years.<\/p>\n However, many historians argue that the purpose of the widow\u2019s walk has been misrepresented. There\u2019s a much less romantic explanation: because the chimney was typically incorporated into the platform, they were likely used for putting out chimney\u00a0fires. Families would store buckets of water and sand at the base of the ladder and, in the event of a fire, would pour them down the stack\u00a0to extinguish the flames.<\/p>\n While its true function may be more practical than poetic, the widow\u2019s walk remains an iconic feature of New England architecture. Check out the photos below for more examples.<\/p>\n Its true function may be more practical than poetic.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":117666,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":false,"apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":[],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11108],"tags":[11105,11131,11002],"coauthors":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\n<\/a>Photo:\u00a0Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism\/Flickr<\/a>\u00a0(Nantucket,\u00a0Massachusetts)<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/a>Photo:\u00a0Doug Kerr\/Flickr<\/a>\u00a0(Portsmouth, New Hampshire)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/a>Photo:\u00a0Doug Kerr\/Flickr<\/a>\u00a0(Nantucket,\u00a0Massachusetts)<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/a>Photo:\u00a0George Pankewytch\/Flickr<\/a>\u00a0(Salem, Massachusetts)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/a>Photo:\u00a0Roger\/Flickr<\/a>\u00a0(Belfast, Maine)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/a>Photo:\u00a0I<\/a>nAweofGod’sCreation\/Flickr<\/a>\u00a0(Portsmouth, New Hampshire)<\/em><\/p>\n