What was the purpose and history of the rectangular storefront / facade?

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wyoranger_99

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I am referring to the type seen on so many old-west style buildings where a pitched roof is disguised from the front with a rectangular facade.
 
1860 - 1905

Almost always used for commercial purposes, false front buildings gave an air of dignity to a quickly growing town by providing visual continuity along the street.

The style was popular in the West, after the California Gold Rush of 1849, as a way to make hastily built town buildings look more like the impressive commercial buildings of the East. In Colorado, the false fronts did double duty: They made buildings look more impressive; and they also hid the view of the surrounding mountains that reminded residents they were not in the East.

In other parts of the country, the style was employed in smaller towns as a means to create a more urban atmosphere.

M y grandfather's first house was made from a building they moved from Main Street. It had a false front. That was about the year 1905
 
This stems from Pioneering times 1830 onwards when building materials were short and damned expensive and was just to make a shack look like a regular city store.
 
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