Little House On The Prairie Poster

This recreated sod house near Windlass Hill, with its modern roof structure, was built as an Ash Hollow centennial project. Located in a small section of Ash Hollow State Park, this version of a traditional sod home dates back to 1967. Created in a land where lumber was scarce, this type of dwelling met the needs of the plains farmer. Although inexpensive, the sod home had its drawbacks. Quick to leak in a rainstorm, the sod roof also became extremely heavy, requiring lumber supports. Window openings were covered with lard soaked paper. Often times, small animals would also take up residence in the sod walls. Interiors were noted as cramped, stifling and dark.

Houses were not the only structures built of sod. The plains saw schools, barns and even a fort. Fort Mitchell, built in 1864 to provide protection for the Pony Express and the Oregon Trail, was made of sod. Today, there is no trace of Fort Mitchell and its thick sod walls.

Nearby stones surrounding this reconstruc...

Photography is all about using light to capture the emotion and beauty of a fleeting moment. For me, this adventure began with a single spring image using a small Kodak film camera of a freshly watered central Kansas ditch and has come full circle using modern digital techniques. My first camera was acquired by trading an ancient Royal typewriter to a fellow college student who was desperate to finish a term paper. It was a long time ago and that camera was my passport to an art that has fascinated me ever since. I owned and operated a professional studio in central Kansas for 20 years and moved to Colorado in 1994. Part of the studio's early success came from creating outdoor portraiture using controlled lighting...