A House Built Upon A Rock

In modern home construction one generally pours a concrete footer upon which concrete blocks are laid creating a foundation upon which the entire house is built.  Many years ago when many of our ancestors built their log cabins or houses they did not and probably could not construct such a foundation.  I found that the old house that I’m in the process of tearing down was built without a “modern foundation.”

It was built, as one person termed it, the “old timey” way.  Large stones with flat tops were laid down at the corners and every few feet  between corners.  Upon these rocks were laid timber sills.  These sills were logs hewn basically square.  They are approximately 8” X 8”.  They were leveled by adjusting the rocks.  Into these sills mortises were cut about every two feet to receive a notched 2” X 8” floor joist.  The entire structure of the house was then built upon these rocks and log sills.

Many of the log sills have some deterioration and probably won’t be worth salvaging however, the rocks are in good shape!  I plan to haul all of them home to be use to created borders and terraces for flower beds, etc.  I hauled home the first load yesterday afternoon.  In the photo below you can see some of the rocks that have held up the old house for many, many years.