Susan. Hi as well. In addition to what Mike Polk wrote, you might try the
Nebraska Historical Society (lincoln) and the Kansas State Historical
Society (topeka; 913-296-5294; SHPO). There are still a number of
these structures still standing in the Plains, and many of the small
county museums have moved them to their property. The ones that continue
to remain in the rural areas were framed years ago, hence their survival
over the past 125 years. The Harold Warp Pioneer Village in Minden,
Nebraska (800-445-4447 or 308-832-1181) has an old one in excellent shape.
I don't know how they treated the sod, but it appears to be holding-up
quite well.
 
A neat little publication that deals with nearly all aspects (except
preservation) of Sod Buildings is:
 
        Welsh, Roger
                1991 SOD WALLS; THE STORY OF THE NEBRASKA SOD HOUSE.
                     J & L Lee Co. Lincoln. [ISBN 0-934904-27-8]
 
It can be purchased through J & L Lee Company, P.O. Box 5575, Lincoln, NE.
68505. Welsh left a career as professor of folklore at the University of
Nebraska (professor of folklore) to pursue the history of Great Plains
folklore at the source (Dannebrog, Nebraska). He used to appear in
"Postcards from Nebraska" on "Sunday Morning with Charles Kuralt".
 
In regards to keeping "poking fingers" from damaging your own soddy, you
might consider the purchase of some historic barb wire and string it around
the structure. I hear that Riot Thicket works pretty well too. ;-)
 
Berkley
 
P.S. Since Anita is collecting references, a few more concerning the soddy
would include:
 
Olson, James
1965 & 1966 HISTORY OF NEBRASKA. Univ. of Nebraska Press. Lincoln.
 
Dick, Everett
1937 THE SOD-HOUSE FRONTIER. D. Appleton-Century Company. New York.
 
and his article...
 
"Sunbonnet and Calico, The Homesteader's Consort". IN Nebraska History, 47:1,
March 1966, Lincoln: pp 3-13.
 
Alberts, Frances and the Nebraska Sod House Society
1963 & 1967 SOD HOUSE MEMORIES. Volumes I & II. Hastings, Nebraska.
 
Purcell, Emerson R.
nd  PIONEER STORIES OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA. No publisher listed, though
Roger Welsh states "..it must also be noted that Emerson Purcell's son,
Harry Purcell, is continuing his father's efforts to record the struggle
of the Nebraska pioneer by publishing SOD WALLS, re-issuing PIONEER
STORIES OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA, and frequently printing pioneer accounts
in the CUSTER COUNTY CHIEF of Broken Bow, Nebraska" (Welsh 1991:201).
 
Another avenue for information would be the listserve KANSAS-L. Lots of
Kansas-philes reside there and are happy to depart with any knowlege they
may retain.
 
 
       +---------------------------------------------------------------+
       |     Berkley B. Bailey   ([log in to unmask])    |
       |       University of Oklahoma, Department of Anthropology      |
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