Historic Preservation Terminal Projects

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POST-WORLD WAR II BASEMENT HOUSES IN CANTON, SOUTH DAKOTA: HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE FROM THE GROUND DOWN
(University of Oregon, 1997-08) Berg, Erin Hanafin
Basement houses are permanent dwellings in which the primary living spaces were placed within an excavated area. Most common during times of economic hardship and housing crisis, they were true starter homes, of ten expanded through the construction of a superstructure. Although common in the Midwestern United States, basement houses are seldom acknowledged nor understood. This study addresses the trend of basement house construction in Canton, South Dakota, where nine basement houses were constructed shortly after the conclusion of World War II. Of these nine, one house remains as a basement; eight were vertically expanded prior to 1960. Based on the features of these nine examples and several basement houses located elsewhere within the state of South Dakota, several issues of their preservation are discussed. The historic significance of basement houses is argued, and guidelines are suggested as to their identification and preservation.