Courtesy History Nebraska, RG2608-1265

Courtesy Smithsonian National Museum of American History

Courtesy History Nebraska, RG2608-1265

On the day she and moved into her new sod house, Mattie Oblinger wrote to her family back east. She had only minor complaints about sod house living and seemed excited by her new life.

Mrs. O.C. Bell remembered the sod house experience with less fondness. In the late 1930s she told researchers from the Federal Writers Project about her life and some of the songs that were written about the sod house frontier.

Courtesy Kansas State Historical Foundation, DaRT ID: 207966

Courtesy History Nebraska, RG2608-1265

Courtesy History Nebraska, RG2608-1265

Courtesy History Nebraska, RG2608-1265

Courtesy History Nebraska, RG2608-1265

Courtesy History Nebraska, RG2608-1265

Courtesy Moni Nation Hourt

Courtesy Library of Congress, cph 3b20288

Courtesy National Archives & Records Administration

Courtesy History Nebraska, RG2608-1265

Courtesy Kansas State Historical Society

Courtesy History Nebraska, RG2608-1265

Courtesy Union Pacific Museum Collection, 501961

Courtesy History Nebraska, RG2608-1265

From the 1988 NET Television production of "The Trial of Standing Bear".