Log cabin construction

[chuck w.]

On another forum a question was asked that started a whole string of speculation and guessing. A picture of an old cabin was posted showing the floor being  dug down about two and a half to three foot deep inside the cabin. this made for short walls and a step down to get in. what was the purpose of this kind of construction? There were many guesses but no real answers. C.W.

[NAULTRICK1]

  Cool in the Heat, and warmth in the winter?? Or maybe just too much work cuttin and scrapin logs???In My case it'ud be laziness 

[old salt]

Naultricki is mostly right, but it was also done for defence, while you can't
shoot through the logs you can shoot thought the chiking. it you are below ground level it is harder to hit you.

[chuck w.]

Cool in the Heat, and warmth in the winter?? Or maybe just too much work cuttin and scrapin logs???In My case it'ud be laziness 

I fully understand wanting to economise on the persperation! C.W.

[chuck w.]

Naultricki is mostly right, but it was also done for defence, while you can
shoot through the logs you can shoot thought the chiking. it you are below ground level it is harder to hit you.

Defense. Good idea. I think that was used in a scene in Death Hunt. C.W.

[Red Badger]

according to the U of W )University of Wisconsin) website it was a common practice to build cabins this way for two reasons

#1 Defense
#2 sever weather

[chuck w.]

according to the U of W )University of Wisconsin) website it was a common practice to build cabins this way for two reasons

#1 Defense
#2 sever weather

Thanks Red badger, this is what we were speculating on another site. Make the most sense. C.W.

[Red Badger]

I guess even the pioneers knew that when a twister was around...
..... the best place to be is underground....

Sorry I could not resist....

[Otter]

I guess even the pioneers knew that when a twister was around...
..... the best place to be is underground....

Sorry I could not resist....

Good point Red Badger, After all that would be a form of defense wouldn't it?

[Tim Burns]

[/quote]
Good point Red Badger, After all that would be a form of defense wouldn't it?

Them Badgers being Furry -Below Ground dwelling critters, should know all about this. Probably hides his jug at the far end of the tunnel...

[Red Badger]

no I do not!  Thats the first place ya'll look for it!  but seriously I do not understand why the dwellings here in Oklahoma don't have more basements or cellers or even storm shelters... does not make sense to me...

[ErikPrice1@msn.com]

I know, I know, it's so when you hit the jug too much it don't SEEM like the floor is so far down when you tip over.

[crazell]

  . maybe he's already on the floor

[Otter]

Good point Red Badger, After all that would be a form of defense wouldn't it?

Them Badgers being Furry -Below Ground dwelling critters, should know all about this. Probably hides his jug at the far end of the tunnel...
[/quote]
As a mater of fact there was one there.  Ummm  is one there... oops

[shootrj2003]

RedBadger,
 That is a question I always' wondered about myself,I grew up in many areas prone to tornado's, the worst,as far number of tornados,was in Ozark, Al.,This may or may not jive with actual records but my experience was I saw more tornaddos in the two years we lived there than any where else that I lived,and several passed by the house,one passed by the house right after dinner when mom was serving dessert,it blew out the window,sucked off the two table legs and dropped everything right on the floor doing no further damage! but,we did have a storm cellar and it was an older house,but ,my brothers new house right there in Broken Arrow was on a slab with no provision for tornado protection,Tornados aren't exactly rare there [as some will attest]It's like they figure the last tornado was the last ever or they just forget .