During our recent trip to Southern Minnesota, we passed by a sign that said “Sod House” and we couldn’t resist. We had no idea what it was, but thought it would be a worthwhile stop on the way to the Jeffers Petroglyphs.
The middle-of-nowhere feeling we got on the long gravel road eased as we finally reached the working farm in the center of what appears to be acres of farmland and prairie. We paid the woman in the farm house and walked through the gate.
The Sod House and shed were built as replicas of those that were prevalent when pioneers like Laura Ingalls reached Minnesota. Apparently the log cabin we saw on the Little House series was inaccurate. Since there were few trees, sod was the only building material. Logs were rare.
This is a close-up view of the sod on top of the sod shed.
The land around the sod buildings planted in native prairie grasses and wildflowers, and it was beautiful.
I could almost picture the covered wagons lost in the tall grass.
The Sod House was used as a bed and breakfast for several years, and was featured on the History Channel as well. A neat stop on the way to Jeffers. For more information about the Sod House, please visit its website.
Southern Minnesota series:
Letterboxing in Mankato
Jeffers Petroglyphs
Sod House
Prairie Wildflowers
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9:04 pm
I like that! Laura Ingalls Wilder books were my favorite growing up. I could just picture her family in this house!!! Love it.
1:30 pm
Can you even comprehend living like this? We have it SOOOO good don’t we?
Hugs,
Holly
3:44 pm
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7:23 am
This has nothing to do with sod houses, but everytime I watch reruns of Little House on the Prairie, something about Melissa Gilbert as Laura reminds me of you when you were that age. I don’t know if it’s her looks, her build, her mannerisms, or what….
10:00 am
I can see some advantages.
I would never have to dust.