Those High Doorknobs Weren’t Just For Show! Do You Remember Having to Reach Or Jump For Door Handles As a Kid?
May 3, 2024
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“For your entertainment. All the doorknobs in our 1906 Craftsman house are this high. (I’m 5’3” for comparison.). There are no other houses in town that I know of with these high doorknobs, so we have a lot of entertaining conversations with visitors about why. The only other “must have been tall people” sign is an original kitchen cabinet that goes all the way up to the 9-foot ceiling.”
What unique features from your childhood home stand out in your memory?
Do you recall visiting your grandparents’ old house, where every detail seemed steeped in history and mystery?
I vividly remember the challenge of grasping the high doorknob in my grandmother’s home.
Every time I grasp the high doorknob of an old 1900s home, I am transported back to my grandmother’s house, nestled in the heart of a sleepy, sun-drenched town.
For years, the ritual was the same: a little jump or a quick grab for someone’s hand to help push the door open. Then one quiet afternoon, something changed. I walked up to the door, reached out, and my hand effortlessly met the cool metal of the knob—no jump needed, no tiptoes required. In that smooth, silent turn of the knob, I realized I wasn’t a child anymore. I had grown, almost without noticing, and now I could navigate a little more of the world on my own. That door, once a barrier, became a milestone passed, a subtle but clear sign of growing up.
There could be specific reasons why some houses had this high doorknobs, but I think child safety and aesthetic considerations are among the most common factors for the high placement of doorknobs in older homes. Higher doorknobs also might have been considered more practical for adults who often carried loads, like laundry or groceries. A higher knob could be easier to operate with an elbow or forearm when hands were full, thus avoiding the need to set items down to open the door. What do you think?