Marsha--There is a traditional French structural system called
poteaux-en-terre which consists of vertical posts driven into the ground
with fill between the posts (similar to chinking on log houses).  There are
houses built in this style still in existence in the former Louisiana
territory (my source book also says in Illinois country--see Rachel Carley,
The Visual Dictionary of American Domestic Architecture).  There is also an
old English system called cruck construction which involves driving large
timbers into the ground to form frames.  I also think--but am not sure--that
some of the Second Seminole War period (1836-42) forts in Florida used
vertical logs in trenches.  We do have some evidence of Native American
structures in Florida with vertical posts in shallow wall trenches--these
tend to be wattle-and-daub structures.
 
You might try a historic preservation architect in your area for
information. We always go to Univ. of Florida College of Architecture for
help on structures, particulary Herschel Shepard who teaches classes on
historic structural materials.
 
                        Lucy Wayne
 
 
>I attempted to send this request to the HISTARCH list several weeks ago,
but apparently it was not distributed.  I appologize if you are receiving a
duplicate message.
>
>**************
>A colleague & I have conducted research on several mid-19th c military
forts in Kansas (e.g., Ft. Ellsworth, Ft. Harker, Ft. Wallace, & Ft. Dodge).
Many of the buildings, usually considered to be temporary, were constructed
of logs placed vertically in the ground, usually in a trench.  These forts
were not surrounded by stockades or palisades, but a number of the
individual buildings (enlisted barracks, mess houses, etc.) were constructed
in this manner.  We have found some information on this construction style
in military sources, including suggestions that some French military
buildings were constructed this way.  So far we have had little success in
determining how far back this type of construction technique was used and
whether it was common in civilian structures as well as military buildings.
>
>Another aspect to this question is whether anyone knows of dugouts using
this construction technique for side or end walls.  At least one of the
dugouts excavated at Ft. Ellsworth appeared to have a front was formed by
vertical posts set into a trench.  We have not found reference to any other
dugouts, military or civilian, which used vertical logs in wall construction
(usually the walls were made of horizontal logs, stone, sod, or sawed boards
placed either vertical or horizontal).
>
>Has anyone encountered this type of vertical log construction in either
ground level or dugout buildings?  Any ideas on how,  where, or with whom it
developed?  Any suggestions on historical sources, journal articles, or site
reports to check?
>
>Thanks in advance for your assistance with this question.  You can respond
off-list.
>
>Marsha K. King
>Special Projects Archeologist
>Cultural Resource Division
>Kansas State Historical Society
>6425 SW 6th Ave
>Topeka, KS   66614-1099
>Phone:  (785) 272-8681, ext. 253
>Fax:  (785) 272-8682#240#
>Email:  [log in to unmask]
>Alternate email:  [log in to unmask]
>Web:   http://www/KSHS.org
>
 
>
>