"The Other Swedes"
Celebrating Them
~ The Groupings ~
Celebrating Them
~ The Groupings ~
Mr. Bill Carlson on Other Smoky Valley Dugouts
~ Referring to photographs in the Rev. Dr. Alfred Bergin books
~ Referring to photographs in the Rev. Dr. Alfred Bergin books
2011 Lindsborg Then and Lindsborg Now
by
Bill Carlson
Chapter 7
Dugouts in the Smoky Valley
by
Bill Carlson
Chapter 7
Dugouts in the Smoky Valley
"Upon arrival in the Smoky Valley in the mid 1860s, immigrants searched for ways and places for some cover from the ever-changing weather of Kansas. Housing was primitive to say the least, with many choosing to dig a dugout in the side of the riverbank or small stream, or even in the ground with whatever was available for a roof such as planks and logs covered with grass.
"There were no houses or buildings initially in those years from which families could find protection and comfort from the blistering heat of a Kansas summer and the roaring blizzard of snow, wind and ice of the winter months. Later sod houses were relatively easy to build. A special plow was used to break the virgin soil to be used for walls. The floors were usually hard packed soil. Dugouts and sod houses were used for a number of years until more livable homes could be constructed.
"We must appreciate these hardy Swedes who struggled against drought, dust, storms, grasshoppers, and the everchanging ruggedness of nature in this new land. Unrecorded history is the fact a good number of these early Smoky Valley Swedes did not stay long to battle so many climate problems.
"A number of infants being born in the Valley did not survive due to these adverse conditions, plus having little or no medical attention available.
"Today, remains of at least a half dozen dugouts have been spotted in the Smoky Valley with the belief there were many more. A photo of the Ananias Ebaugh Dugout, located east of Lindsborg, can be found on page 149 in Dr. Bergin's second book* on the Smoky Valley. Another on the same page is what is called Smoky Valley Dugout. The Leander Dugout [not shown], still in very good condition, is located several miles northeast of Lindsborg. Another photo of a dugout can be found on page 20 in Dr. Bergin's first book* of early Pioneer days. Further, a neat stone marker in very good condition is located on the west side of a creek leading into the Smoky Hill RIver at the south end of Marquette with inscription: DUGOUT SITE, ANDERS SJOGREN, JULY 1869. [not shown]
"Two of the Sjogrens' great-grandchildren live in the Smoky Valley area today. They are Ken Sjogren of Lindsborg, and Marilyn Hendrix of McPherson.
"Probably the most Well-known dugout in the Valley is the Hoglund Dugout, with information in the next chapter."
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Here are photographs of the dugouts that Mr. Carlson describes above that are underlined shown in that order.
Here are photographs of the dugouts that Mr. Carlson describes above that are underlined shown in that order.
* From the Second Book
Rev. Dr. Alfred Bergin's
1919 Lindsborg Efter Femtio Ӓr and renamed in
1969 The Smoky Valley in The After Years by Ruth Billdt and Elizabeth Jaderborg
Rev. Dr. Alfred Bergin's
1919 Lindsborg Efter Femtio Ӓr and renamed in
1969 The Smoky Valley in The After Years by Ruth Billdt and Elizabeth Jaderborg
Ananias Ebaugh Dugout (Dave Larson, Randy Frost, Brent Ebaugh)
See page 149 on opposite side for PLATE XVII
See page 149 on opposite side for PLATE XVII
Smoky Valley Dugout - Unique in frontier architecture
See page 149 on opposite side for PLATE XVII
** From the First Book
Rev. Dr. Bergin's first book:
1909 "Lindsborg, Bidrag Till Svenskarnas och Den Lutherska Kyrkans Historia i Smoky Hill River Dalen"
and renamed in
1965 "Pioneer Swedish-American Culture in Central Kansas" by Ruth Billdt
1909 "Lindsborg, Bidrag Till Svenskarnas och Den Lutherska Kyrkans Historia i Smoky Hill River Dalen"
and renamed in
1965 "Pioneer Swedish-American Culture in Central Kansas" by Ruth Billdt
EARLY PIONEER HOME (DUGOUT)
See page 21 on opposite side for PLATE IV
See page 21 on opposite side for PLATE IV
A HOME IN THE EARLY DAYS
See page 21 on opposite side for PLATE IV
Rev. Dr. Alfred Bergin's
BOOK 1 & 2
For Book 1, go HERE for the created "Table of Contents." For Book 2, go HERE for the created "Table of Contents."
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Chapter 7
The Bill Carlson Family has kindly extended permission to share this selection of his Lindsborg Then and Lindsborg Now in SWEDES, 8/19/24.
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On November 14, 2023, under the leadership of SVHA president Tim Stewart and the Board
"full support and permission for the use of all content under the Smoky Valley Historical Publications umbrella,"
of which "Lindsborg Then and Lindsborg Now" belongs, was kindly granted to Fran Cochran for SWEDES.
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* * *
Chapter 7
The Bill Carlson Family has kindly extended permission to share this selection of his Lindsborg Then and Lindsborg Now in SWEDES, 8/19/24.
--------------------
On November 14, 2023, under the leadership of SVHA president Tim Stewart and the Board
"full support and permission for the use of all content under the Smoky Valley Historical Publications umbrella,"
of which "Lindsborg Then and Lindsborg Now" belongs, was kindly granted to Fran Cochran for SWEDES.
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* * *
"Let Us Celebrate Them"
* * *
Swedes: TheWayTheyWere
~ restoring lost local histories ~
reconnecting past to present
* * *
All color photography throughout Swedes: The Way They Were is by Fran Cochran unless otherwise indicated.
Copyright © since October 8, 2015 to Current Year
as indicated on main menu sections of
www.swedesthewaytheywere.org. All rights reserved.
* * *
Swedes: TheWayTheyWere
~ restoring lost local histories ~
reconnecting past to present
* * *
All color photography throughout Swedes: The Way They Were is by Fran Cochran unless otherwise indicated.
Copyright © since October 8, 2015 to Current Year
as indicated on main menu sections of
www.swedesthewaytheywere.org. All rights reserved.