Sturbridge Village the building of a new house at the village

Sturbridge Village the building of a new house at the village
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When I obtained my membership to Sturbridge Village last year I noticed that the foundation had been put in for a new structure. They were building a new small home using the building tools and techniques of the period. The structure was described as a small home that might have been for a laborer or someone of low income of the area. Also included in the group of potential residents would have been African Americans or Native Americans living in the community. I decided that it might be interesting for me to take some photos of this structure each and every time I visited the village. What you see here are some of those photos taken around June 2005 I recall.
		The initial frame was up and a scaffolding had been constructed for safety. About 25% of the houses built in the area during this time period were about this size. (420 sq. ft.) or 20 X 20 ft.
The image above shows the workmen adding floor boards to the attic space before they raise the roof frame. Notice the hard hats required by today's standards for safety regulations that did not exist in the 1800s.
		Above; the roof is up and the house needs to be closed up for the winter that will come too soon.
On this visit only one man ventures onto the hot roof. The day was a scorcher and he decided to take a short break to answer some of our questions about the structure as it would have been constructed in the early 1800s. It is easy to see why these structures are still standing in many areas. The timbers are large and the construction is sturdy.
		The image on the left was from our last visit. The walls are up and the building is closed up from the weather. A small section of the roof is awaiting final touches but the structure would easily offer protection and some comfort to a small family or a workman or two if needed.