by Warren Wood
I acquired a half acre of land in Taos, NM in 1976. I bought a pickup truck full of reject 2×4’s from a lumber mill and culled out enough usable ones to frame out my 8×14 home. In those days, in that area, there were no worries about permits.
I hauled water in 5 gallon jerry cans, used kerosene lanterns for light, and a tiny “tin lizzy” to keep the place warm in the winter. The kitchen sink had a 5 gallon bucket directly underneath to collect grey water, which I used to “water the sagebrush.” Being young and a product of the ’60’s, I lived contentedly like that for 4 years.
I then made some additions, transforming the cabin into a galley kitchen [with a heavy kerosene powered refrigerator]. I now slept in a low ceilinged loft, later came a bedroom and proper bath. Utilities had been installed by this time. The house is located at the far end of a dead end road and I still have a good amount of space surrounding the property.
PS: I would be happy to answer any questions if anyone is interested.
Warren Wood