Why do old houses have so many doors?

Question

My old apartment had 2 doors into the kitchen, a door into the hallway, and then the normal doors into closets and bedrooms. The doors into the hallway and kitchen doors were removed.

My house now has a doorhinge into the kitchen but that has been removed. I am just wondering if there was a reason to have to many doors, and be able to close off rooms in such a small space. Nowadays houses are so open.

Answer 1

During cold weather, they would close the doors of rooms that are not occupied such that they do not have to heat them.  Few homes had a forced air type heating system, it was often a fireplace or oil heater often located in the dining/living room and kitchen.  Doors let them heat up certain rooms quickly.  

The closets had normal doors because they did not make the "closet" doors.

Answer 2

To control noise, smoke, smell, and heat. Remember that in the old days there was no air conditioning, so you'd want to have a way to keep the kitchen separate from the rest of the house.

Privacy was also a concern. Houses were on average far smaller than they are now, and families were bigger.  

Answer 3

Well, first of all, the rooms were much smaller with hallways which also had a door. Quite often, the closet doors were removed to give a person more space in their room.. The fire code years ago mandated that an outer hallway had two exits from the apartment in order for people to escape a fire. That's why you often see a kitchen with two doors.

Answer 4

Privacy/ noise control/ house codes

just my guesses

Answer 5

Old houses have so many doors because of their old technology.