Imagine wandering through a dense, misty forest when you spot a cozy little home carved into the base of a towering tree stump. It sounds like something straight out of a fairytale, but in the rugged 1800s, it was everyday reality for some of America’s earliest settlers on the West Coast. Back then, before the lumber industry toppled millions of ancient giants, the forests were filled with trees so massive their trunks could measure 20 feet across or more. Once felled (a task so intense it could take a month), these colossal stumps were too big, stubborn, and abundant to remove easily. Rather than blowing them up (though some tried with dynamite), the pioneers did what pioneers do best: They got scrappy. They turned the stumps into homes, post offices, barns, and even dance floors! Frontier Ingenuity at Its Finest HOW 1800s PIONEERS TURNED TREE STUMPS INTO COZY HOMES
TAKE A BREAK
BEER FAMILY LEO LUNCHBOX MUSTARD PERIDOT POPPY SISTERS TWINS VACATION WATERMELON ZUCCHINI
One of the most legendary stump homes was the Lennstrom Stump House in Edgecomb, Washington. Crafted from a cedar stump 22
Summer Chickpea Salad Inspired by HowSweetEats.com
feet wide, it sheltered three adults and three children, proving that creativity could turn leftover lumber into a home. Though the original Lennstrom house met its end in 1946, you can still marvel at an 18-foot stump house today at the Stillaguamish Valley Pioneer Museum nearby. But stump houses weren’t just for surviving; they were for celebrating, too. In Calaveras, California, settlers turned a massive hollowed-out tree into a grand dance hall and hotel. Guests waltzed under twinkling candlelight and cedar boughs strung high above the forest floor. As one 1850s newspaper gushed, it was “romantic and beautiful beyond description” (although the ladies did wish the stump-turned-dance floor had a little more bounce)! In a time when luxury was a warm fire and a sturdy roof (or stump) over your head, these quirky homes captured the best of pioneer spirit: grit, resourcefulness, and a little bit of magic. Next time you pass an ancient stump on a hike, imagine what stories it might hold. In the right hands and with a bit of imagination, it might have been the coziest home on the frontier! The Lennstrom House ca. 1901
Ingredients
• 2 (15-oz) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed • 4 green onions, thinly sliced • 2 ears grilled corn, cut kernels from the cob • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered • 3 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives • 1/4 tsp salt • 1/4 tsp pepper • 3 tbsp olive oil • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar • 1 1/2 tbsp honey • 3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed • 1 lime, zested and juiced
Directions 1. In a large bowl, combine chickpeas, onions, corn, tomatoes, basil, and chives. 2. Toss well with salt and pepper and set aside. 3. In a small saucepan over low heat, add oil, vinegar, honey, garlic, lime juice, and zest. 4. Whisk until the mixture is warm and garlic begins sizzling. 5. Pour over the chickpea mixture and toss well to coat. 6. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
CaryEstatePlanning.com • 3
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator