California Native American Shelters

Plank House

Plankhouses are Native American homes used by tribes of the Northwest Coast (from northern California all the way up to Alaska.) Plank houses are made of long, flat planks of cedar wood lashed to a wooden frame.

Tule Hut

Tule Hut Frame

Chumash Tule Hut

Bark House Used by families every day 6 people lived in this type home

This cedar bark house rises 16 feet from a pit in the ground,

Sweat Lodge The ceremonial house was a very large structure in the center of the village. The roof was carefully laid in a certain fashion. The first layer had willow brush laid sideways on top of the horizontal roof timbers. Over it was placed at a right angle a second layer of willow brush.After it a layer of thick shrub then a layer of earth.And after it was all finished it must measure 5inches thick. The structure was built over a large pit.

Roundhouse These large round structures were used mostly for religious ceremonies, meetings, or to house guests.

Roundhouse