| Individuals, who were predominantly untrained in architectural design and construction, created the vernacular architecture of American homesteads for their own use. The buildings homesteaders created varied in materials and architectural forms. The goal of this study is to test the hypothesis that the cultural backgrounds of homesteaders were significant in their homestead architectural decisions. Three homesteads in Cebolla Canyon, New Mexico, were selected for study, due to their unique architectural construction and close proximity, both geographically and temporally. Methods included historical and biographical research, homestead site documentation, dendroarchaeological research, and architectural analyses. The results of this study suggest that the cultural backgrounds of homesteaders were influential in architectural decisions, but were not necessarily the most influential factor. Intentions for staying in the canyon and interests in conveniently acquiring construction materials were also influential factors in architectural decisions in Cebolla Canyon homesteads. |
