US Settler dwellings in Florida in the 1840's ?

[Jonboy]

I'm thinking ahead to making some terrain in 28mm for the 2nd Seminole Indian War, whilst I have been able to source images on the net for the Seminole Indians, being a complete newbie to the period, i'm completely unsure what would US settler dwellings look like at this time?

Indian dwellings









Would it just be a case of isolated fortified log forts/ stockades, isolated farmsteads at this time, ( I'm thinking your typical image of such, say from the movie "Last of the Mohicans"), i'm assuming wood due to it's apparent availability, or would we also be looking at adobe type dwellings as well? (If so great as these could then double up for a possible Mexico layout)

Any guidance to links, articles or books on this matter very much appreciated.

Cheers Jon

[joroas]

Having been there a couple of times, it would have to be able to cope with sudden heavy rain showers and have a decent air con system. 

[styx]

Well, I live in Florida and just went to the FLA State Fair in Tampa where they have Cracker Country, most of the buildings there are 1900 to 1920 in vintage that I walked through to get some ideas for my old west buildings to make.

Most like this and earlier was build from wood when it came to common residences. Forts and such was either stone (which usually was reclaimed Spanish forts usually) or wooden structures built up with dirt packed around it. I am sure someone that is a true history buff could give you more details or some search fu on the internet can turn out more info.

I can say this, Adobe would not go over well here, either wood or stone made the most sense. Wood buildings usually was off the ground to avoid water and also to keep the dwelling cool as well. 

hope that helps...

[Jonboy]

Thanks guys, local info very much appreciated, buildings wise in the long term i'd really like to have a go at making a stockaded Indian village alongside a waterway and possibly a block house and farmstead for the settlers. Assuming it would still be very much a case of isolated settler hamlets at this time with no major towns as such, i'm guessing Florida was very much a frontier wilderness at this stage, would something like Perry's plastic cabin or Grand Manner's cabins suffice as a starting point?









Cheers

[sepoy1857]

I don't know for sure, but the oldest city in America is in Florida - St. Augustine. We are talking just 25 years (give or take) before the Civil war right? So why not use standard 1800's type structures? I doubt it was that primitive unless maybe you are talking deep inside the Glades.

Here's some examples from a Bing Image Search (Florida + architecture + 1830's):

St. Augustine


Burnsed Blockhouse, Macclenny, Florida
The Burnsed Blockhouse, also known as the Carl Brown House, was built by Sheriff James Burnsed in the 1830's at the direction of President Andrew Jackson.  This house was restored and partially reconstructed and will soon open as a house museum.  The house is unique and the only one of its distinctive design in the state of Florida.



Also a Seminole Chikee from http://www.colliermuseums.com/kids/index.php

[Florida Tory]

sepoy1857 pretty much has nailed the settler buildings, and your photos illustrate typical Seminole structures during the second and third Seminole Wars. I have not encountered any use of adobe in Florida - there is no local source for the materials. The stone-like or plaster-like buildings erected by the Europeans were either coquina or tabby, respectively. Also, I am not familiar with any references to the Seminoles stockading their villages. The only occupation of a fort by non-Europeans during the Seminole Wars that I am aware of was the black/Seminole/Choctaw occupation of the British Fort (renamed the Negro Fort, and later, after it was rebuilt, Fort Gadsden) at the start of the first Seminole War.

Interestingly, the log cabins and wood shacks would also be typical of the Seminole dwellings during the period of the first Seminole War. They adopted chickees after the disruption of their society, as they migrated southward from the panhandle and northern Florida into central and southern Florida.

Rick