Stump Houses — A Lost Piece of Appalachian Folklife

Stump houses are a little-known phenomenon outside of areas like Appalachia. The following video and short list of facts provide some insight into this unique feature of Appalachian life.

Unfortunately, there is very little information available about Appalachian stump houses. If you have more information than what is in this article, please share it in the comments.

Stump HousePhoto byBlue Ridge Tales

Appalachian Immigration

In the 1800s, European pioneers who moved into Appalachia and the West faced housing shortages. Many of these pioneers followed the Wilderness Road, blazed by the legendary frontiersman Daniel Boone, and passed into the region through the Cumberland Gap. Others traveled from Pennsylvania along the Great Wagon Road into the Shenandoah Valley. Many of these pioneers were Germans and Scots-Irish.

Where are American Chestnut Trees Found?

American Chestnut Trees grow along the eastern United States, from southern Maine, across to Michigan, then down through Indiana and Illinois, all the way south to Alabama and Mississippi. From these boundaries, chestnut trees spread eastward into the Appalachians.

American Chestnut Trees in North Carolina.Photo byAppalachian Trail Conservancy

Characteristics and Uses of Chestnut Trees

The American Chestnut grew as high as 250 feet and was as wide as 15 feet. The wood was lightweight and easy to split. It was also known for resisting decay and maintaining. The wood was used for poles, fences, railroad ties, cabins, furniture, and even caskets.

Chestnut Blight

Unfortunately, a blight, Endothia parasitica, was accidentally introduced in New York City in 1904 that slowly wiped out the American Chestnut by the start of World War II.

Chestnut Stumps

Before the blight, logging companies cut down the massive trees, leaving behind large stumps. The stumps were resistant to rot, decay, and insects. The stumps left behind after the trees were cut down were typically about 15 feet high, and are known to last for more than 100 years.

Stump Speeches

Stumps were used for political rallies, leading to the term “stump speech.” Typically, this refers to smaller stumps, as seen in this painting by George Caleb Bingham.

Stump Speaking by George Caleb Bingham (1853).Photo byWikimedia

Social Gatherings

Appalachian communities held social events around these large stumps, including dances. Musicians would also stand on top of the stumps and play music at gatherings.

Stump Houses

Pioneers would hollow out the massive stumps and carve homes and other types of buildings out of them. Some stump houses are known to be very spacious.

Other Uses

Stump houses served various purposes, such as post offices and animal shelters.

Redwood Stump Houses

In the Pacific Northwest, stump houses made from Redwoods were popular. One of the earliest known stump houses was carved by the McAllister Family in 1847 near present-day Nisqually, Washington. They lived in their stump house until they finished building a new house. When they moved out of the stump house, it was converted to a barn.

Corrections

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