“The sod house or “soddy” was a successor to the log cabin during frontier settlement of Canada and the United States. The prairie lacked standard building materials such as wood or stone; however, sod from thickly-rooted prairie grass was abundant. Prairie grass had a much thicker, tougher root structure than modern landscaping grass.
historical
New thatch on old Bensemann home
These Old Cabins
“The historic cabins, ranger stations, and other buildings of the Forest Service hold the tales of one of the nation’s most important public land agencies. In the Northern Region of the Forest Service, a group of highly skilled craftsmen have been formed into a Historic Preservation Team. The team is trained to maintain and restore the historic buildings of the region. Thousands of visitors can still make use of these buildings and enjoy their historical value.”