Posted on 08/23/2009 9:21:25 AM PDT by jay1949
The Virginia Frontier Culture Museum's 1740s log cabin is displayed as a work in progress. The cabin is a typical peeled-log, saddle-notched settler's cabin of the kind favored by Scotch-Irish moving into the wilds of the Backcountry. The construction was simple and required few tools. The museum's replica is built with one door and no windows -- a common practice which led to laws requiring homesteader's cabins have at least one window.
(Excerpt) Read more at backcountrynotes.com ...
ping
“The museum’s replica is built with one door and no windows — a common practice which led to laws requiring homesteader’s cabins have at least one window.”
And the homeowners association CC&R concept is born.
From it’s looks that cabin don’t need any windows. The cracks between the logs give plenty of opportunity for the nosy neighbors to look in.
Yeah, but in those days, crack-peekin’ could be hazardous, because there’s also enough gap for the barrel of a 50-cal musket.
It would be interesting to find out WHY people thought they could or should tell another person they had to have at least one window.
I guess even back then, there were those who sought to tell others what to do in their own private affairs.
Some acquaintances of mine discovered a log cabin covered in the walls of the living room of their old farm house. They exposed the original logs and I can’t help but to admire the size of the trees used. I built a miniature log cabin for a school project many years ago and I thought the goal was to fill in the chinks between the logs with mud and clay. My father was a stickler for detail and made me actually make it faithful to the cabins of the 1800’s. Ventilation was the one concern that made me put in a small window in case the fireplace clogged and as a place to fire a gun out of if attacked.
Not sure if this happened in Virginia, but there were locations where windows were taxed, ergo requiring windows would make sense from a government point of view.
Not having a window was a matter of builders convenience as a lot of additional work would be required for a window.
The main problem with not having a window or second door is the lack of escape route should the doorway be impassable. If the wife was getting a fire going, she might leave the baby in the cradle and step out to draw water from a well. In the meantime, a fire could get going that might block the doorway leaving the baby inside trapped.
Cooking fires burned down many a home which is why later construction styles commonly had a kitchen separate from the home. If the kitchen burnt down, at least the home could be saved.
Closets were also taxed.
Interesting.
The window tax “was introduced under the Act of Making Good the Deficiency of the Clipped Money in 1696 under King William III[1] and was designed to impose tax relative to the prosperity of the taxpayer, but without the controversy that then surrounded the idea of income tax.” Wikipedia entry.
One factor on the American frontier was that the settlers had no glass; windows were covered with oiled cloth or paper, which didn’t admit much light.
The Frontier Culture Museum should be a must-see visit for every school child (and adult) touring VA.
Thanks for the ping!
You’re very welcome
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