Hubby dug the start of a rootcellar last fall, when we happened to have access to a backhoe. We were in the midst of a very dry spell, but I noticed that in a few days, there was a damp trail down the back wall, and a puddle on the future "floor." We live in two trailers, with our back to a hill, and evidently there are a series of springs all along the foot of the hill. Might explain why I was able to keep my tomatoes watered and alive, with water from the lakewell just off the creek, while everyone else had dead gardens!!! But meanwhile, we have this room-size "hole" out back, and it seems that a rootcellar is out of the question--too wet.

There is lots of info out there about root cellars, but very little about old-fashioned spring houses. I remember one at Connor Prarie, a living history museum north of Indianapolis, but it involved a great deal of stone work. Any suggestions?

-- Leann Banta (thelionandlamb@hotmail.com), January 15, 2000

Answers

foxfire books, the first ine has a section of building springhouses, look that up if you have the book. I have an extra copy. let me know at my email. STAN

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), January 15, 2000.