Popular in 17th- and 18th-century America for its ability to accommodate large families, the saltbox house features a catslide roof that extends below the eaves, creating one story that juts out on the back of the home and two or more on the front. The genius of the design is that any ordinary colonial home could be quickly and affordably upgraded to a saltbox simply by adding a leaning rafter to the rear. Specimens of this type of residence still stand to this day. Scroll through to see…