A springhouse is a small building, usually just a single room, constructed over a spring to keep the water clean from debris and animals. Later, it became the early form of refrigeration, a place for food storage. Everything, from meat, fruits, eggs, and even dairy, stayed cool by the constant spring waters flowing around or through the springhouse.
Because of all the water, springhouses were normally constructed of stone, because a log cabin type springhouse quickly succumbs to water damage and rot.
The rafters in a spring house were an ideal place to hang cured meats and cheeses. Hanging these food items deterred critters from feasting on them while they were stored. The room could have a spring pool for storing milk and other items.
One can see the importance of food preservation and storage in the minds of colonists, since a springhouse would often be built before their…
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