Sod House Museum - Wheat Ridge, CO
Posted by: 
Outspoken1
N 39° 46.864 W 105° 07.550
13S E 489224 N 4403465
Rare, original sod house from our pioneers of the great west
Waymark Code: WM4GNT
Location: Colorado, United States
Date Posted: 08/22/2008
Views: 98
When the pioneers came west across the plains and settled, traditional home building materials were at a premium. Lumber and brick on the plains was just not available in adequate supply. Sod was a ready alternative material. Unfortunately very few homes of this type still exist today because of the very nature of the material (dirt). This location has an excellent example of a sod house. The number of sod houses that exist in this condition are rare.
As best as can be determined, the house was build prior to 1864, possibly even before 1859. By all accounts, it is probably one of the oldest sod houses still existing. It is built from Tall Prairie grasses and believed that the sod was cut from near the bluffs to the north, on the other side of I-70.
When you visit the back patio of the home, you can see the way the house was constructed through a glass panel on the wall. The walls are 2 feet thick. The stucco on the exterior and the modern shingle roof are concessions to the preservation process. The inside is furnished as a home of the 1860s.
The sod house was saved from the bulldozer in 1973. It is a National Historic Landmark and is handicap assessible. This building and the other historical structures located here are tended to by the very capable and dedicated members of the Wheat Ridge Historical Society. Although it is a museum, it is open even when volunteers are not present. Volunteers are normally available to explain and show off the facilities on Fridays from 10-2 (no charge) or by special arrangement at other times. It is well worth it to get a tour!