House Lots

House Lots. . , Houses , Davidsonville was laid out with 48 lots around a public square, although only a few lots have been examined by archeologists so far. Lots held houses, businesses, and outbuildings, and archeologists know of at least 10 primary structures. By 1829, 90 families lived in or near Davidsonville, with probably close to that many houses.

Houses sat on large lots with garden and livestock areas, as well as multiple outbuildings, such as kitchens, smoke houses, privies, wells, barns, chicken houses, animal pens, cold frames, and wagon sheds. Lots functioned as miniature farmsteads to support the household.

Household Duties , While men led more public lives in business and politics, women's responsibilities usually focused on running the household and caring for children. Duties included cooking, cleaning, making and mending clothes, nursing the sick, and taking care of household gardens and livestock. Families with some wealth often owned or hired female slaves to handle many of these household tasks.

Life at home was not all work. Women also arranged social activities, such as hosting teas or dinners, or gathering for musical entertainment. Teaching children basic reading and writing, and participating in religious activities were also household pursuits.

[Photo caption]: , The first houses at Davidsonville were probably one-room log houses similar to the Ficklin-Imboden Home at Powhatan Historic State Park 8 miles south on Arkansas Highway 25.