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Settlers cut and stacked bricks from prairie sod to build sod houses. The walls of the sod house were somewhere between 18 to 25 inches thick. They were built two bricks deep at the bottom and sometimes narrowing to one brick deep as it got toward the top.
Living in a Sod House
Some people found life in a sod house unendurable, others felt like they were on top of the world. It is difficult to judge the way of life by today’s standards because each person looked at their life in a slightly different way. Back then, like today, location was crucial for the new homesteader. They had to pick a place that was close to water, but not so close that a flood overflowing the banks of the steam might affect their lives. Being sheltered from the elements was another important aspect when choosing the location. They tried to pick a location on the southern side of a copse of trees or a hill.
How long do turf houses last?
Visitors can enjoy the experience of walking through the “soddy” and explore exhibits, artifacts, photographs, and a root cellar. The artifacts and exhibits portray the daily activities of the pioneers. Museum grounds include an additional building displaying horse-drawn equipment and period farm implements.
Building a sod house – pick a good location
Before the 1860s, most of the people living on the Great Plains were Native Americans. In 1862, Congress passed the Homestead Act, allowing men or women who were 21 years old or older to "stake a claim" to 160 acres of land. Homesteaders agreed to build a home within six months and then live there for the next five years.
Whitewashing somewhat alleviated the damp conditions inside. Despite their basic form, sod houses were cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Sod houses were intended to provide a temporary shelter while settlers established a more substantial residence. Construction of a sod house involved cutting patches of sod in triangles and piling them into walls. Builders employed a variety of roofing methods.[3] Sod houses accommodated normal doors and windows.
Century-old sod wall unites researchers across disciplines - Nebraska Today
Century-old sod wall unites researchers across disciplines.
Posted: Wed, 02 Apr 2014 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Our Story: American History Stories and Activities You Can Do Together
Also, houses made of dirt stayed cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter than those constructed with traditional building materials. Smoothing the inside walls and either plastering or wallpapering them brightened the room and helped keep out mice. Women found floors made from packed dirt hard to live with.
Marshal McCully and the Sod House
One of the requirements for fulfilling the claim was building a "home" to live in within six months. Choosing the right site for a house was nearly as important as choosing the right claim. Building next to a small hill provided some protection from the constant wind. But building too close also made flooding a very real danger.
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Deborah Hufford is an award-winning author and magazine editor with a passion for history. Her popular NotesfromtheFrontier.com blog with 100,000+ readers has led to an upcoming novel! Growing up as an Iowa farmgirl, rodeo queen and voracious reader, her love of land, lore and literature fired her writing muse. After the Homestead Act became law in 1862, U.S Citizens and immigrants filed four million claims as they searched for a better life and the 160 acres of free land the legislation promised. Blizzards were so strong that they could trap livestock and homesteaders under the snow. During the long winter of 1886, horses and cattle died when their breaths froze over the ends of their noses, making it impossible for them to breathe.
SOLD: Sod House Museum under new ownership News gothenburgleader.com - Gothenburg Leader
SOLD: Sod House Museum under new ownership News gothenburgleader.com.
Posted: Wed, 05 Feb 2020 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Homesteading
After many trial and errors, the settlers learned that they need to cut out only the bricks that they would use in one day. Otherwise, the sod would dry out and crumble if left out and you had to start the cutting work all over again. The less fortunate ones had to cut the sod by hand with a shovel and it was really intense labor.
Using a spade or corn knife, the strips were then cut into about 3-foot lengths. Today, most houses in the United States are built straight up and down, with angled roofs, and brick or wooden exterior walls that keep out the rain and other elements. The walls sloped down on the outside of the house so that as the walls settled, they would not collapse. Settler families tended to live in their sod houses six or seven years. If the exterior was covered over with whitewash or stucco, the houses could last much longer. In 3-5 business days, you'll have farm fresh sod delivered right to your curb.
Although the tools have changed, one thing has stayed the same – our determination to provide beautiful turfgrass, make deliveries on time, and keep close to the customer. 100% fresh sod is harvested within 24 hours of delivery. Things were usually brought inside when the weather was bad.
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