New France Loft Cabin (4Ground) AML-107

This highly detailed laser cut wargames model joins 4Ground’s growing range of  American Legend buildings.  Like many in the range this building makes an ideal objective or terrain piece for The French Indian Wars, The War Of Independence, The War Of 1812-15, the Civil War, Wild West and even early C20th Prohibition Bootleg Gangs.

The French settlers of New France built their first homes and hunting cabins with Poteau en Terre - post in ground or ‘earthfast’ - construction, which was made with well hewned vertical log timber posts driven into the ground.  For their more permanent dwellings, like this one, ‘poteaux-sur-solle’ - post on cill - was used, though lots more hewning was required to square the logs, this method was easier to undertake and much preferred to ‘pièce sur pièce’ - log piece on log piece - used by the New English. 

The inside floor was suspended from supporting posts and insulated underneath the floor, windows had shutters on the outside, the roof was covered with split shingles and the Chimney was constructed by making a wooden frame and infilling with coursed small stones.  As the needs of a settler and his family grew so he had to make a larger home for them, often this first meant building an upper storey on top of his original sturdy log cabin. This upper floor would be accessed by way of a simple loft ladder, leading to a boarden floored loft area, often well lit by simple rustic windows, and heated by the breast of the chimney.      

Add corrugated iron to give this building a Moonshiner or "Down Under" feel.