Logging and lumber was the lifeblood of the Olympic Peninsula in the early days of European settlement. Many communities in the Northwest started their lives as the company towns of lumber companies and housing was often provided to workers by “the company.” Typical worker homes were distinctive by their size – small – and style – simple. This one is located on a good sized lot and could have been built independently.
There’s a short row of these typical houses in Carlsborg. Their tiny sizes are sometimes in evidence with odds and ends that live on the front porches.
Some of them are partly hidden by trees and shrubs and all are on small lots.
This one has a bright coat of paint and the late addition of a second story tacked on that I framed out of the shot.
The ramp on this one is another recent addition but the house itself is a good example of the classic company house.
These homes do look tiny compared to modern standards. People who live in them cannot accumulate the amount of “stuff” that most North Americans tend to have. 😉
The same concept’s been done here with lumber towns or other one-industry settlements. That last one really stands out!
It is interesting how differently the houses have been treated. I love all the shots – and the well kept houses make me smile.
It looks like some of these are still occupied.
They aren’t fancy, but they seem clean and tidy compared to some houses in company towns that I have come across.
I’m surprised they are in what appears to be good shape. Obviously, some owners have worked hard to make them look good.