Cordwood Construction - History

History

Remains of cordwood structures still standing date back as far as one thousand years in northern Greece and Siberia. More contemporary versions can be found in Europe, Asia, the Americas. The exact origins of cordwood construction are unknown. It is, however, plausible that forest dwellers eventually erected a basic shelter between a fire and a stacked wood pile. Perhaps a better historical perspective is found in the work of William Tischler of the University of Wisconsin. In his study of the technique, he states that "current" cordwood probably started in the late 1800s in Quebec, Wisconsin and Sweden. He believes that the technique started in these areas at the same time. The technique had a brief period of popularity in the northern United States during the Great Depression, due mostly to its inexpensive materials and ease of construction, leading to it being called "Depression Housing" in parts of Wisconsin, Vermont and upstate New York.

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