DISTRIBUTION
Occurred in poor sections of Protestant Louisiana, i.e., North and West Louisiana and the Florida parishes
Common only in early pioneer period, when quickly built shelter was needed
IMPORTANCE
Represents oldest folk houses wherever Upland South log architecture dominated in America
All pen-tradition houses consist of combinations of the single pen unit
CHARACTERISTICS
Side facing gables
Door centered in front wall, sometimes a second door centered in rear wall
Floor laid anywhere from one to three feet above the ground
Windows often lacked glass; instead, shutters closed over the window openings
Chimney
Mud and stick constructionLocated on one side wall at gable end of house
Often caught fire
Interior
Interior very dark because windows were small and wooden walls absorbed lightFurnishings generally crude homemade beds, tables, benches, and perhaps a chair or two. Pegs for hanging things usually abounded
Very crowded; several people living in one room. However, crowding was the norm for the era and people apparently did not feel greatly inconvenienced by it
Apart from the area beneath the sleeping loft, the cabin was completely open to the rafters
SOCIAL ASPECTS
Entire family cooked, ate and slept in single room
Suggests a lower socioeconomic class of people
EXAMPLES
Burks
House, Beauregard Parish
Knight Cabin,
Washington Parish
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