The Sandhills Journey National Scenic Byway Visitor Center took a pair of scissors to red ribbon, unveiling the newest tourist attraction in Broken Bow.
Mike Evans told KCNI/KBBN that about 10 years ago, at a Red Barn Committee meeting that a sod house was mentioned.
“We should build a sod house. This is the sod house capital of the world right here in Custer County.”
Years passed before the idea became a reality in 2023 when there was enough rain to create the perfect conditions to build a sod house.
Evans told KCNI/KBBN that Mike, Kathy, Steve, and Barb Adams were very instrumental in the completion of the sod house.
“The Adams family that is sitting right here next to me, all four of them, Mike, Kathy, Steve, and Barb, if it wasn’t for them, we would not have this sod house I’m just gonna say. They finished it off; they did pretty much the roof by themselves.”
Building a sod house is more than just playing in the mud. There is a whole process that goes along with it. You cannot just use a regular sod cutter, so Dave Downey of Merna brought over a machine that made the sod strips that were needed.
One of the main ridgepoles, donated by the Cooksleys, was used in an original sod house, adding more historic value.
With multiple pie entries for the contest, only one could be crowned the winner. This made a challenge for the judges as there are some talented individuals in the world of baking pies in the area. With multiple pies to choose from, one was victorious. The winning pie was a strawberry rhubarb pie baked by Barba Ottun. Ottuns’s name will be placed on the plaque holding the names of the previous year’s winners.
