Period correct cabin

[Dale Allen Raby]

You could potentially build a "tiny house", which will fit on a trailer. Since it is not on a foundation, you circumvent all kinds of zoning/building regulations. You can camp on your own property with no issues, though some jurisdicitons require you to vacate the property for a day or two each month. Those are seldom enforced unless you have a "Karen" for your neighbor.

If I was able to do this, I would get a large plot of land... say forty acres, put my tiny house as far from the road as I could get it... hopefully behind a thick stand af cedar trees and maybe use a tractor for my commuter vehicle (no vehicle registration required). I might have a cell phone, but electricity would be by generator or solar panels/wind generator... if I had any electricity. Heat would not be by wood, attracts too much attention. Kerosene heater would be fine... or maybe bottle gas I could haul and hook up myself.

Just dreamin' though. Doubt I'll ever get there.

 

[fleener]

I have a cabin in southern. There is not any building code or electric code in our county. Sewer is regulated by the State.

Fleener

 

[Red Owl]

My experience has been that a lot of jurisdictions have no idea what I am talking about as far as a "historic" cabin. A few years ago there was an operation in Kansas- a buffalo hunt. It was pretty cool. You came into town, switched into your PC clothes and parked your vehicle at a local diner and got a cup of coffee. A couple of guys from the ranch showed up and drove you to the ranch where you took a horse to a "dugout" Sod cabin. You hunted out of that. Well I wanted to get some land where the soil had enough clay for adobe and make a pc cabin. Same idea, rammed dirt floor, adobe bricks. Flat roof. I'd haul in my water and for sanitation, a compost/chemical type toilet. Kerosene lamps at night, no refrigerator, etc. "Live the past" for a couple of weeks in Spring and again in Fall.
In any event if you try to build a "second home" the govt wants well water, septic systems, etc. etc. and $$$$$. My idea is a low impact approach- doesn't hurt the environment etc. but having troubles. Some places like Southern Colorado let you camp on your land for up to 2 weeks- well I can't see the issue- that is if camping is okay then why not a PC camp. It wasn't that long ago that large ranches had line cabins and fur trappers had a couple of "camps" in a 3 day rotation. I figure 1. I'm not approaching things correctly or 2. I'm a fuss monger- just go ahead and do what you want.

 

[Dale Lilly]

I have no idea what all states do, but I have 70 acres of what's considered unimproved land here in Missouri, with no electricity, water, or anything else. I could build just about anything I want there.

Green with envy. I have 3/4 of an acre

 

[Eterry]

Are there any states in the Southwest where you can have a period correct cabin? What I mean is a cabin of logs or adobe bricks with a rammed earth floor and you truck in your water and have a chemical toilet. Other than that, kerosene lamps, etc. It seems cabins or camps are a thing or the past, what most jurisdictions want is a small house with all the facilities. The thing I want- is it termed something else? Line cabin? Etc.

In Texas most rural areas, ie. The Sticks, don't have code enforcement. We knew an old gentleman in the 80s who had a 2 room Adobe, wood stove, dirt floor, outhouse, hauled water for drinking, etc, had a single bulb in the main room powered by a wind generator. He hung "leather britches", garlic and onions along the ceiling, had a root cellar.

When my dad started building his house out of sight out the road he told everyone it was to be a hog barn. No one questioned him, no increase in property taxes, until someone ratted him out. Then he started paying higher taxes.

Not sure how it is where you are, but here outside of municipalities there's little restrictions, no HOA's, an few people care what you do.
YMMV

 

[Dale Lilly]

During the "Hippie days" folks in wooded California built some really nice, interesting chicken houses. No restrictions most places. I have a book with pictures of many of them. some very nice ... some very primitive. I would live in any one of them and be happy. Dale

 

[andy52]

Green with envy. I have 3/4 of an acre

I wouldn't be too envious, it ain't cheap or easy to maintain that much acreage. But it does have upsides, hunting when I'm the only one there, and having my own range, but as I get older it gets harder for me to do.

 

[Tacitus]

I’m very aware of how lucky it was to get the chance to build this cabin, the fellow that owns the land let us do it and we can spend as much time as we like there. And it’s a good neighborhood!
015 (2) by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

That kitty looks like one of my many neighbors.

 

[Red Owl]

Eterry: that sounds like what I want. There was about 80 acres for sale south of Sanderson but the roads were so rough it took an hour to get there. In any event only 40K which was a real deal and the land was all cut up so you could hide a small adobe and no one would be the wiser. I am kicking myself for not getting it. Only 3-7 miles to the Rio Grande. I probably could have gone there for water. It would obviously have to be filtered, etc. A generator was a thought, for a few luxuries.

 

[BillinOregon]

Oh, sure Mr. Coffins. Just when I had finally let go of that dream, here you are posting it in the flesh ...

 

[waksupi]

This is an old stage coach remount station cabin I lived in a little over 40 years ago.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Oh, sure Mr. Coffins. Just when I had finally let go of that dream, here you are posting it in the flesh ...

Sorry, but I had waited from around six years old till after I was sixty to get to build this cabin. I didn’t think it would happen so you can take this as hope is still possible.
003 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

 

[BillinOregon]

This post has me daydreaming about Alaska sawmills again. Mr. Coffins, I will shortly be 70, so something better happen soon ...

 

[Black_Feather]

If anyones interested on period style cabin build videos... I love the cabin building series on townsends youtube channel, really makes me wish... Heres the link to anyone who hasnt seen it . I also recommend these cabin videos from the woodland escape . Great stuff. One day maybe.