In my homeland of the southern United States, carports are everywhere. They easily outnumber garages, and are a staple of every southern home. However, they got their start further north in Illinois in 1909. Here architect Walter Buckly Griffin used them in his design for the Sloan House in Elmhurst, Illinois. They quickly spread throughout the Midwest. They were originally called autospaces, however Frank Lloyd Wright coined the term carport in 1939 when he used it in the design of one of his houses, and the name stuck.

Today carports are used in a variety of ways. Traditionally they’re attached to permanent structures such as homes and are built with wood to match the structure. They usually come with built in storage, and are used mainly for the purpose of keeping cars out of the elements. However carports are now much more flexible. They come in a variety of materials including wood, metal, and PVC. They have multiple types of roofs: shingles, steel, aluminum, tarps, etc. Best of all, they’re not permanent anymore. Now they come in a wide variety of portable options. They have carports that are so easy to setup and take down that they only need one person to assemble them. Also because of their portability they can be setup anywhere they’re needed, not just right next to the house. They don’t even have to be anywhere near a house! Which means you can offer your vehicle the same protection on a camping trip as it would get parked safely at home.

Carports have definitely come a long way. So go out and get one today that fits your needs and lifestyle.