111789

Page 272

CHAPTER IV MORMON HOUSE TYPES AND FORM ELEMENTS The p a s s in g o f th e i n i t i a l p h a se o f t h e f r o n t i e r was accom panied by an in c r e a s e in w e a lth , s e c u r i t y , and b e t t e r b u i l d i n g m a t e r i a l s , p e r m i t t i n g t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f p erm an en t houses. Each i n d i v i d u a l fa m ily to o k c h a rg e o f b u i l d i n g i t s own h o u s e , b u t w ith a l i t t l e b a r t e r o r l a b o r - t r a d e , t h e fa m ily c o u ld g e t h e lp from a n e ig h b o r o r tra d e sm a n f o r a t l e a s t p a r t o f th e h o u se c o n s t r u c t i o n . T y p ic a lly a f a m i l y 's f i r s t p erm an en t h o u se was a m odest o n e - o r tw o-room c o t t a g e , b u t a s th e f a m ily in c r e a s e d in s i z e o r a t t a i n e d g r e a t e r w e a lth , th e y ad d ed new rooms o r b u i l t an e n t i r e l y new h o u s e . S u b se q u en t a d d i t i o n s t o a house n e a r ly a lw ay s fo llo w e d one o f s e v e r a l t r a d i t i o n a l f l o o r p la n p a t t e r n s , a s i f e a c h fa m ily had an o v e r a l l " m a s te r p la n " t o be fo llo w e d a s th e y added e a c h s u c c e s s iv e " i n s t a l l m e n t " to th e o ld h o u se . The " m a s te r p l a n , " o f c o u r s e , was s im p ly an image o f a model i n h e r e n t l y s h a r e d and u n d e rs to o d by th e members o f th e c u l t u r e . Such a m odel h a s no w r i t t e n p la n o r b l u e p r i n t , b u t i s n e v e r th e le s s c o p ie d from e x i s t i n g h o u ses and p e r p e tu a te d th ro u g h many g e n e r a tio n s o f tim e . A ll su ch m odels ( o r f o lk h o u se p la n s ) b u i l t by Mormons w ith in t h e p r e s c r i b e d s tu d y a r e a a r e i d e n t i f i e d and d e s c r ib e d h e r e in and a r e r e f e r r e d t o a s "h o u se t y p e s . " In t h i s s tu d y , house ty p e s a r e c l a s s i f i e d o n ly on th e b a s i s o f form . 136 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.