Lovecraft’s near-obsession with discovering colonial doorways during his travels was not at all unusual for his era, and the appreciation was shared by many others. As tourism grew the interest also became understood, if perhaps not shared, by many more who lived in old colonial sections. The interest was normal and part of New England’s set of established antiquarian interests in material culture, along with covered-bridges, sailing ships, old lanterns, almanacs and so on.

Today we, and especially those outside the East Coast of America, might tend to think vaguely of the neatly painted-up and slightly chintzy re-creations of such doorways — and thus rather wonder at the attraction.

At best, people might picture the quieter doors of the type that could be seen in abundance on Lovecraft’s College Hill (as here) and which had never needed to be gentrified.

But as one can seen below, in 1920s pictures, some of the oldest original doors could be hoary and sinister with age… and thus most suited to a horror writer.

Lookout Court, Marblehead.

The Short House, Newbury.