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Sod Home Bedroom
Copyright ©2004, Tim Maurice ¤
This is the bedroom of an original sod home built by Edgar Irwin Brown (B. 27 Oct. 1854-D. 2 April 1920), a pioneer of the American West. Mr. Brown died in this home. His wife, Alice, then moved to California to live with her married daughter. His son, Charles, continued to live in this home until 1936 when he also moved to California to join his mother. Mr. George Carr rented this 160 acre homestead and continued to live here until 1948 when he finally left, alledgedly because of loneliness. He was a bachelor. The home has not been lived in since, though it is on private property and has been maintained by the owner.
The home, as seen today, is the original construction with only minor repairs. There was an unending supply of building material for sod houses on the prairie. The prairie buffalo grass sprouted from densely tangled roots giving the top three inches of soil a tight consistency. The sodbuster shaved off a belt of roots and grass 12 to 18 inches wide and three inches deep. This ribbon of sod was cut into 18 inch strips. He started the building by laying each block, with the grass side down, staggering the layers like brickwork. Two rows were usually arranged parallel making the finished walls about 24 inches thick. Intersecting layers were lapped together at the corners with a pole used to hod the beams. As the sod house grew spaces were left for windows.
The floor of this room is packed dirt. The sod walls are supported by planks for the first 4-5 feet. The ceiling is held up by beams from the only trees that could grow in this environment, the Cottonwood. Planks were laid over the beams and the planks were covered with more sod.
Average rainfall in the area of the home is 15 inches per year. Normal temperatures for this area range from -30F. in winter to 110F. in summer.
| Photographer: | Tim Maurice ¤ |
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| Folder: | MISC. |
| Uploaded: | 2004-Aug-31 09:21 EDT |
| Current Rating: | 7.00/2 (Weighted rating: 7.66) View all ratings Delete my rating |
| Copying allowed: | No |
| Camera: | Olympus E-1 |
| Lens: | Other (please specify in image description) |
| Lens Adapter: | None |
| ISO: | 100 |
| Aperture: | 2.8 |
| Shutter Speed: | 1/30 |
| Focal Length: | 11mm |
| Flash: | Yes |
| Tripod/Monopod: | No |
| Critique Level: |
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| MFT Time 23:14 May 19 2013 |
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| Toronto contractor |
NO SUBJECT
Nice documentary and history (both the picture and the text you've written). I like the way you have handled the stool, pot and bed - adds to the impression of this being a rather small room. Interesting to see how new and clean the bed cloth looks (as well as the other furiture) - quite some contrast to the upper part of the wall and the dirt floor.
p.t. Inactive Win ♥ ¤ $ at 18:20 EDT on 2004-Aug-31 [Reply]
NO SUBJECT
There was dust over everything. I got the impression that it wasn't due to a lack of cleaning, but was more likely a constant condition due to the type of home construction. Amenities were few. There was no running water, electricity or central heat. There was a wood burning stove in the kitchen and also in the living room. The well was in the front yard and the outhouse was about 100 feet out back.
Tim Maurice ¤ at 21:03 EDT on 2004-Aug-31 [Reply]
What makes this photo...
...is the documentary style description that follows. Some photos speak for themselves. Others are greatly enhanced with some background information.
What doesn't appeal to me is the harsh and unnatural lighting which a flash provides (I'm sure it was unavoidable). The detail at the top and back of the room is lost. Actually the scene could be improved if the top was slightly cropped and the camera angle slightly lowered to capture the entire pot (it's so tough to learn to very quickly look at every edge when taking a photo!).
Thanks again!
Zguy ♥ ¤ ∞ at 21:27 EDT on 2004-Aug-31 [Reply]
You're right.
You're right about the flash. The FL-50 was new to me at the time and I hadn't worked out its strengths and weaknesses yet. There was some ambient light coming into the room from the doorway from the kitchen and I was trying to meld my flash with that. Hence the abnormally low shutter speed.
Still, the picture views a piece of living history that may not outlast our current generation. This place is a part of the National Register of Historic Places but it is private property and is subject to the whims and fortunes that entails. It was that thought that made it compelling for me. I walked on the floor pictured here. I touched the walls. I saw everything with my own eyes. Soon, there may be nothing left but my picture.
Tim Maurice ¤ at 23:15 EDT on 2004-Aug-31 [Reply]