Friday's Architecture Moment

A pretty fabulous series of postcards that depict homesteaders showing off their claim shacks in the early 19th century:

The Homestead Act enabled Americans to claim 160 acres of undeveloped public land for free if they could live there for five years and “improve” it. Improving it required building something. Most chose to construct tar paper shacks because they were cheap and easy to build. Others turned to sod because it was plentiful and free.

Steve Clowney