Pioneer Houses
As settlers moved west, they had to build their own houses. There were not many trees or stones on the prairie, so many people built their houses out of dirt, or sod. Another name for these houses was "soddies."
What is a sod house made of?
A sod house was made of bricks of dirt. Each brick was about 18 inches wide and 24 inches long and weighed 50 pounds. It took about 3000 bricks to build a small house. It was very hard work to cut through the thick prairie grass and dirt to make the bricks.
What was the roof made of?
What was a sod house like inside?
Soddies were actually quite comfortable. They were warm in the winter and cool in the summer. There was usually only one room and the whole family lived together. They added decorations like curtains and tablecloths to make the room look nice.