Home on Blue Lick Road
Two rooms across and a back attachment. Plain, simple and efficient. Today old, small country homes similar to this Blue Lick house dot the landscape in central Kentucky.
They are one of my favorite types of homes. Usually the old tin roofs are still in use on them. A shed porch has always provided a sittin' area to feel the breeze and hear the rustle of the leaves. I think of the reasonably priced wood that was bought at local saw mills for the family to build their home using only hammers, nails, and a hand-saw.
Most of these homes are called Box houses as they use box construction methods to build them.Today, some folks purchase Box houses to restore. Many other similar homes are left to slowly decay.
I feel the Blue Lick Road home and others like it reflect the heart and soul of the hard working folks of the late 1800s and early 1900s. A time when these economy house types were first built on Kentucky land. Around the 1930s or so the Box building tradition began to disappear.
I also like to think of the families with dreams of their futures when they built these homes. Where have they traveled in their lives?
ReplyDeleteBarbara -- Perhaps one has to write novels to flesh out where these people traveled to in their life. There is a non-fiction book that might interest you titled: HOMEPLACE The Social Use and Meaning of the Folk Dwelling in Southwestern North Carolina. thanks for stopping by -- barbara
ReplyDeleteI just want to sit down on the porch chair and soak in Kentucky's natural landscape. Your picture is like a welcome mat.
ReplyDeleteNature Weaver -- If you have been to Kentucky you know it has lots of natural beauty. I bet your area has lots of natural beauty too. thanks -- barbara
DeleteHave you gone inside many of these? That would be interesting too...
ReplyDeleteturquoisemoon -- I have been in a few of these types of house. I followed one in particular that was a tear-down, taking photos of its interior as it came down. Someday I will put a post on about it. thanks -- barbara
DeleteI have seen them in countless movies - and this one reminds me of them. It only lacks an old person in a rocking chair on the porch :-)
ReplyDeleteRuneE -- Yes, you do see similar types in old movies that are staged in Appalachian areas. Box construction houses could be built easily and fast by a couple folks -- and the wood was cheap -- unlike now. thanks for the comment -- barbara
DeleteI love old houses and you did this one justice. Thanks.
ReplyDeletemarcia -- As a Georgia person I imagine you have traveled around your state and experienced its many old housing types. I have visited GA several times and was always astounded by its old buildings. Since I lean toward vernacular architecture I was smitten by an old tin roofed vegetable stand I ran across just outside of a small GA town -- of course I didn't have my camera. thanks -- barbara
DeleteOn the lake, we'd call it a cottage here.
ReplyDeleteBirdman -- Yes, it does resemble cottages you would find around lakes. I think most of the lake cottages I am familiar with, those in Michigan, are stick construction. It would be interesting to know Maine's cottage construction. thanks for the comment -- barbara
DeleteI would love to live in a little house like this.
ReplyDeleteThat is, if we could get rid of the mice. :)
Rubye -- I am not sure if this house is vacant? The mice might not be a problem if someone still lives in this house. I feel that box houses have good lines and would make nice homes for someone that loves simplicity -- thanks -- barbara
DeleteThere are many of these old homes in my KY area as well. Some being lived in, yet others are decaying.
ReplyDeleteMichelle -- Box houses appear to have been popular in other southern states as well as KY. They were erected quickly and the cost was low. Great for families on a tight budget. -- barbara
DeleteThese are familiar, I've seen many of them. A lot of times they cut down their own trees and took it to the local saw mill to be cut.
ReplyDeleteJanet -- I know a man whose father ran one of those small saw mills in KY. Since several southern states had plenty of standing timber many trees were cut just for house timber. You surely could say box houses were built from scratch. -- thanks -- barbara
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