Living like the 1800s . . . my experience

[Wolfgang]

I recently discovered of this very interesting sight and I have been reading some threads about living in the style of the 1880s.
I’ve not read every post, . . but have skipped around and sampled quite a few of them.
I have lived that way. Some of it is great fun. A lot of it is not. Most people who dream about it would not like it if they really did it. In the early ‘70s I build a cabin on the family property in Ohio. I lived without electricity, running water, etc. for some time. It was great. When one lives that way one becomes appreciative of the simple ordinary things that most in our society take for granted. I moved into the cabin as soon as I had the roof on. The gaps between the logs were still open, the windows and door framed but no way to close them. Water supply was a spring 100 yards away and down hill. I’d fill 2 five gal. cans with water at the spring, hang them from a pole across my shoulders and trudge up the path ( a rather steep one ) to the cabin. When I go the gutters on the roof and the first rain filled the rain barrels, . . it was HEAVENLY ! WATER . . . water to be dipped right out of the barrel. WoW. . . not that is really living ! . . . . During that winter of ‘73 - ‘74, . . . . I’d wake up before dawn, . . jump out of bed, . . build the fire in the stove, . . break the ice on the water bucket under the kitchen counter and put water on the stove for coffee, . . jump back into bed and wait for the stove to warm the cabin and heat the water for coffee. During the summer of ‘73 while I was finishing the cabin I cooked always on an open campfire out front. You can get very good at it when it is a matter of do it or go hungry. http://www.drburkholter.com/cf6.html
Anyhow, . . it all sounds nice to many people, . . but few have lived that way and not may would care to. Some would find it an interesting experience to do it for a week as a vacation experience. . . I find the interest in it to be a lot like the "back to the land" craze of the 70s, . . where folks sat in their thermostatically controlled heated homes and read "The Mother Earth News" and dreamed of going "back to the land" . . . and dreaming was all they did. Most of the content of the "Mother Earth News" was good for a good laugh from those that have actually done it.
I have found a site about a place in Texas where folks seem to have a pretty good thing going. The live like the late 1800s for a weekend at a time a few times a year. I can post more information about my experience if anyone is interested.
Have a look at:
http://www.marrowbonespringstx.com/

[bad bob]

That's pretty interesting OK, but I believe there's a lot more interest in living life similar to the 19th century than you think.

Consider many folks now live in remote places of Alaska, Yukon, Upper Canada, not to mention unrelated obscure locations such as Siberia, Mongolia, and numerous other spots around the globe. My only point there is that hundreds of thousands of people are already living without any modern conveniences.

But you're right about the majority, of which I'm a member. You lasted "for some time", I'd last 2-3 days at most.

[speedy]

After Hurricane Rita, we lived without modern conviences for three weeks. It was challenging. We survived, became closer to our neighbors, and learned to do with less. Everyday living took a lot more effort. I now appreciate my central air and heat, and running water......Speedy

[Calamity June]

That is really amazing Wolfgang. I am so envious.


I lived for almost 4 months in a big Army tent with other "hippes" on the Olympic Pennisula, in the early 70's. No running water, well unless you count the river we were living by. It was great fun. Cooked over an open fire, took baths in the river.
It makes you appreciate all that we have, compared to the rest of the world.

[Wolfgang]

Here's another site with more about "Marrow Bone Springs" http://hometown.aol.com/thegunftrs/mbs.html
for anyone interested. They seem to have a pretty good thing going on there.

[45-70Ranger]

Hometown AOL has been shutdown permanently,as of October 31,2008.

[Wolfgang]

Hometown AOL has been shutdown permanently,as of October 31,2008.

Sure Enuf . . . . the other link still works . . .

http://www.marrowbonespringstx.com/

[45-70Ranger]

Appreciate the link.
Nice town.

[Rupe]

Mrs. Rupe and I are trying to buy 40 acres in the high deserts of Oregon for a cabin to retire to. We plan on solar power and composting toilet etc etc. So we are off grid. I can't wait, it's not going to be like the 1800's but it will be a nice and slowed down kind of life. rupe

[Gravelrash]

Rupe ~ I have done a fair bit of what you and Wolfgang and others are taking about. You'd think, at my age, I'd know better....but.... I fear not!!!
I have learned many hard-won truths about wants, needs, necessities and fripperies though, so "this time round" I intend to do it a lot easier on myself and a lot more realisticly. (She Who Must Be Obeyed says I better, or....)
To that end, I thought this idea might spur you on a bit.
http://users.olis.net.au/strathsteam/

They make 2 k.v.a generator kits. I've spoken to Rod, via email, and the fuel requirements seem manageable. I like the idea of being "on the grid" but with a few solar panels and the steam genie, feeding back in to the grid so I get "credits", not a huge bill!