Category Archives: Historic

George Bernard Shaw’s Spinning Shed

Posted on February 4, 2011 by Michael Janzen

Alex at Shedworking.co.uk recently shared a link to an article by Greg Denisiuk that explains why George Bernard Shaw built a spinning shed. I’d actually never given much thought to the reasons why Shaw built his writing hut on a … Continue reading →

Posted in Historic | Tagged George Bernard Shaw, Greg Denisiuk, lazy susan, shedworking, spinning | 6 Comments

Ancient Inspirations

Posted on September 9, 2010 by Michael Janzen

I’ve been noodling all week about what form a sustainable tiny house city might take. While my recent online wanderings into the city planning of Black Rock City got me started on this quest, its overall design is really geared … Continue reading →

Posted in Historic | Tagged ancient, civilization, cliff dwelling, pueblo, southwest | 9 Comments

Free To A Good Home – Historic Tourist Cabins in Richmond, Vermont

Posted on July 8, 2010 by Michael Janzen

I got a note and photos from Devin, a Historic Buildings Specialist who works for the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation, with news that these little cabins need a new home and are free to anyone that can take them … Continue reading →

Posted in Historic | Tagged free house, Historic Preservation, Historic Tourist Cabins, Richmond, vermont | 29 Comments

Nearly 500 Year Old Tiny House Village – Build By A Banker

Posted on December 27, 2008 by Michael Janzen

My dad passed this Wall Street Journal story onto me today. It’s the story of Jakob Fugger, an extremely rich and influential banker that lived about 500 years ago. One of the philanthropic things he did was to build a … Continue reading →

Posted in Historic | Tagged germany, Historic, historic village | Leave a comment

Alone in the Wilderness – The Story of Dick Proenneke

Posted on October 31, 2008 by Michael Janzen

I got an email from a reader named Betsy (Thanks Again Betsy!) the other day after she had read about my upcoming nine tiny free project. Along with her note she sent a link to a movie about a man … Continue reading →

Posted in Historic | Tagged Alone in the Wilderness, dick Proenneke, log cabin, Proenneke, tiny cabin | 4 Comments

Historic Mobile Chapel

Posted on October 1, 2008 by Michael Janzen

A reader, Brent, passed this onto me. I really like running across historic tiny houses, especially tiny mobile houses. It’s nice to remember that our interest in tiny living is not new. In fact it IS how people have been … Continue reading →

Posted in Historic | Tagged chapel, church, historic, historic photo, mobile chapel, tiny chapel, tiny house, tiny house of god, tiny houses | 2 Comments

Sears Modern Home – House Kits from 1908 to 1940

Posted on September 17, 2008 by Michael Janzen

A long long time ago in what seems like a country far far away… Sears, Roebuck and Co. had a popular kit house mail order program and sold between 70,000 and 75,000 kit homes. Over 447 different designs from simple … Continue reading →

Posted in Historic | Tagged balloon framing, blueprints, house plans, modern homes, sears modern homes, traditional american, traditional american home, traditional home | 5 Comments

Historical Shepherds Huts

Posted on September 14, 2008 by Michael Janzen

I was just surfing around on shedworking.co.uk and found a link to a website dedicated to Old Shepherds huts.  This photo made me wonder… is this the original tiny tumbleweed house? It also made me realize (again) that we’re not … Continue reading →

Posted in Historic | Tagged caravan, historic, Historical, Historical Shepherds Huts, Shepherds Hut, Shepherds Huts | Leave a comment

Toronto’s Smallest House

Posted on August 13, 2008 by Michael Janzen

This house isn’t really tiny, it just looks like it from the front. It’s a sprawling 300 square feet (ha ha) and was built in what was an alley about a hundred years ago. It’s 42 feet long and 7 … Continue reading →

Posted in Historic | Tagged narrow house, smallest house, tiny house, toronto | 1 Comment