History of Our Area: Home Sweet Home

When people make a home in a forest of tall sagebrush, with only an ax to cut with, it spells a lot of hard work.  During the summer of 1870 they not only cleared a lot of brush, but made roads to the canyons where they cut logs and hauled them down with ox teams.  

Home Built by John Corless in the Summer of 1871.  It is still standing.  (In 1962)

They shaped the logs for their cabins the best they could with their axes, notching the ends so they would fit closer together and hold fast. Then the cracks were chinked with wedges of wood and daubed with clay mud. Most all had dirt roofs which furnished some protection and warmth. A few had charter oak stoves, but the majority had dirt floors and a fire place in one end for cooking, heating and for light. Bake ovens and heavy kettles were used for cooking. Some had brass kettles which they kept sparkling and bright with clay, salt, and vinegar if they had it. These early settlers had brought very little furniture with them; so boxes, sawed blocks of wood, and some times pegs were driven into the wall and a board laid across formed the table. A few brought coal oil lamps, but many had candle molds and made candles for their lights. 

                                                             Built by Mathew Reay, 1876

During the long winter evenings the family would gather around the fire place, with its brightly burning logs, mother and the girls would be busy knitting stockings, gloves, mittens and sweaters, from their home spun yarn. Sometimes the men would carve from wood, butter bowls, spoons, potato mashers, some made chairs, others did fancy carving on towel racks and on brush and comb racks. 

These industrious, hard working, people were always improving their homes with more stoves, sewing machines, and more lamps took the place of candles.

Sturdy frame, adobe and brick houses were built boasting of the comforts of the day.  Most every home had a nice parlor, which was used only on special occasions.