Did you know that the first houses built in North America were made out of sod?Sod houses are very interesting houses that were especially famous during the 18th century. These houses were made of natural resources such as grass and twigs, and were very capable of keeping the inhabitants cozy!These homes, also known as sod houses, were popular in the Great Plains region of the United States and Canada. They were often used by settlers and farmers because they were cheap and easy to build. Let’s discuss the history of sod houses, as well as some of the pros and cons of using them!History Of Sod HousesThe first sod houses in North America were built by settlers in the Great Plains region in the 1800s. These homes were popular because they were cheap and easy to build. In order to build a sod house, you only need some basic tools and supplies!Sod houses were popular in the 1800s because they were cheap and easy to build. Sod houses are also very energy efficient, as they keep out the wind and cold weather. One downside of sod houses is that they can be quite damp inside, which can lead to mold growth and respiratory problems. Additionally, since sod is not a very strong material, these homes are susceptible to damage from severe weather conditions.Building A Sod HouseBuilding a sod house was never much of a hassle. This is because the most essential material in building a sod house was basically just grass, which was readily available in the Prairies. Freshly cut sod bricks would be used for the making of the thick walls of these houses. However, the roofs and window frames would be made with wood and some hinges would be used to attach them to the walls.Sod bricks are usually 4 in (10.16 cm) in thickness. These thick walls were essential to the residents of sod houses since they would keep the interior either cold during the summer or warm during the winter. Sod bricks would be cut with a spade and a plow and would then be stacked on top of each other through the overlapping method. Twigs and thin laces were also used in the construction of sod houses. The interior walls of sod houses were either covered with pieces of cloth or would be whitewashed. The whitewashing helped the inhabitants stay away from a couple of intrinsic problems that came with a sod house.The sod bricks always needed to be laid with the grass side down so as to increase the strength of the entire structure. In addition to this, the type of grass chosen for such a house would also play a very central role. Land wherein buffalo grass, wire grass, little blue stem, prairie cord grass or wheat grass grew was treated as most valuable for the cutting of sod bricks. The roof, on the other hand, could either be made of sod blocks or thatch. However, a sod roof would require a lot of maintenance on a regular basis. A sod roof was very susceptible to letting water in during the rainy season, thereby causing a lot of trouble to the settlers. Inserting tar paper in the sheathing came up as a great way of minimizing the number of leaks that the settlers had to deal with - thereby solving a huge problem.Sod construction is cheap and not very time-consuming to a large extent, which is why many settlers went for this average house. However, some sod structures are also laden with lavish features such as window frames and doors made of wood. The hinges and other such accessories used to attach the doors and windows and the cedar poles that give strength to the Prairie sod houses add to the expenses.Significance And LegacySod houses are significant in more ways than just one. Some of the research held on sod houses reveal that there is archaeological evidence of Europeans starting to settle in North America in the 1000s. This means that the history of settlers goes way back.In addition to this, the Homestead Act of 1862 was a huge boost when it comes to the construction of a large number of sod houses. Through this act, the government promised a huge chunk of land to homesteaders. However, these homesteaders were required to fulfill many parameters in order to get their land. At the same time, this act started the Westward expansion of civilization. The free land that homesteaders were given was devoid of any vegetation or trees. The only natural materials that they had access to in abundance was prairie grass, which the homesteaders made use of in a commendable way. Eventually, the building of sod houses on the free land became the norm. These farmers and settlers would create a frame for the house through the wooden windows and doors, and would then create their entire house around it. This was inexpensive compared to log cabins and or any wood-frame house.The Great Plains regions where the sod houses were initially built spanned across the states of Missouri, Kansas, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Nebraska. These places are now historic sites and are very important to the cultural integrity of the country!Living In A Sod HouseLiving in a house made of dirt and grass may sound a little weird but this was far from the case for all the homesteaders who were essentially trying to become citizens of a great country.Sod cut from prairie cord grass or other types of grasses readily available in the Great Plains, was great in terms of insulation. Since the house was built from thick sod bricks, the interior of the house remained warm during winter and cool during the summer season. A sod house, however, was often very problematic to live in, especially during monsoons. Rains would easily spoil roofs made of dirt and other natural materials, thereby causing leakages.Sod was usually cut from the same area that would serve as the floor of the house itself. In this way, all the grass was removed. It is quite interesting to note that it was this very practice that saved the settlers from Prairie fires and other such dangers. Sod bricks and sod houses, in general, gained so much popularity in the Great Plains that they started to be regarded as the ‘Nebraska marble’!Notable Sod HousesThere are many sod houses in the world, and not all of them are in the United States of America. Sod houses are also found in Canada and Iceland.There are only two sod houses in Iceland, namely the Skagafjordur Folk Museum and Arbaer Folk Museum. These sod houses have become a cultural symbol for Iceland.Canada also has only two notable sod houses. The first one is the Addison Sod House, which is now a historic landmark in Canada, and the L’Anse aux Meadows, which is a Norse settlement dating back to the 10th and 11th centuries.There are many noteworthy sod houses in the United States of America. The Cottonwood Ranch, Dowse Sod House, Heman Gibbs Farmstead, Minor Sod House, and Page Soddy are some of the very famous ones.
Did you know that the first houses built in North America were made out of sod?
