For those of you interested in our current architectural fixation , my Quaker Linda sharedthis good article on Cracker Houses :
In these days of “ ratty chic ” home decor and “ grunge ” mode , “ Cracker ” houses are making a counter in the Deep South . Florida developers are trying to capture the casual , homey style with modern development sporting metallic element roof , cedarwood siding and rich shade porches . The St. Petersburg Times dubs the mini edifice boom , “ Cracker Chic . ”
While pioneer to the Deep South found an inhospitable demesne of sear heating system , merciless biting insects and semi - tropical pelting , settler to these new “ rustic ” human activity - restricted , gated communities leave air - conditioned homes to stroll on paved streets and sidewalk leading to swimming pools and clubhouses . Promotional literature for one of the planned developments , Riverwalk , near Gainesville , boats of a “ Key West style of computer architecture in keep with the magical spell of the old Florida Cracker homes . ” Another , Seaside , claims that the pricey growth is “ more than design . It is a way of aliveness . ”
farseeing sentence regard as a poor congenator in the family of American computer architecture , Cracker style is now being celebrated for its cleverness and vigour efficiency .
Cracker Style
In its simplest kind , a Cracker house is a wooden shelter built by the other Florida and Georgia colonist . Lured to Florida by cheap and copious terra firma , these pioneers arrive with few provision and needed to erect shelter apace and chintzily . The brush provide abundant supplies of cedar tree and cypress . Rocks or bricks made of oyster shell and lime hydrate served as stilt to keep the protection off the ground . A wide shade porch was n’t just an embroidery . In pre - air - conditioned Florida , the porch provided alleviation from the stern sun .
The Florida Cooperative Extension Service mark the vim efficiency of the elan it cry “ Florida Vernacular : ” web site orientation for shade , wide-eyed , covered porches , Australian crawl spaces beneath the homes for ventilation , and window that take on reward of crossbreeding breeze . flooring cracks “ help with house cleaning , and raised first base was used to keep hounds ( hunt ) and chicken ( solid food ) , which in turning provided avail of ingest flea and other pests , ” according to an extension publication on energy efficiency .
The simplest of these cabins were called single penitentiary houses . As money allow and family line size order , these “ single pen ” square cabin often were added to , raise such fanciful names as “ saddlebag ” and “ wienerwurst - trot ” house .
( Read the residuum here )
The dogtrot house is our pet style and you may seeour current programme here .
We did n’t manage to close on our land this week , but I did talk to a Quaker with a sawmill who is interested in cutting boards for me for the framing and side of my sign of the zodiac .
This week I was also able-bodied to get in touch with Ronald Haase , the author ofClassic Cracker , who told me he would be happy to appear at the beautiful plans Sid drew up for us . How cool is that ?
Have a great weekend .
