Take pride in building this delightful, accurately modeled Frontier Town. The hands-on experience of building these beautifully-detailed models offers an excellent introduction to modeling for young builders, and an enjoyable diversion for even experienced model builders.
Introduced to a limited audience earlier this year, we are pleased to offer the Frontier Town scale model collection to a broader audience in time for the holidays!
Building a Better Understanding of Life on the Frontier
When you build these historically accurate, finely-detailed models for display, you might discover a deeper appreciation of both architecture and history.
While popular culture romanticizes the frontier spirit and suggests it was unique to the American West, in fact, that same spirit, hard work, and determination to build a better life was alive and well in many countries during the 1800s.
The frontier buildings and cottages in this collection are accurate, architectural scale models based on designs actually seen on the Australian frontier and very typical of countless frontier towns across America’s “Wild West.”
Celebrate the Spirit of the Western Frontier
Frontier architecture highlights hard work, the driving force behind the rapid progress of the American West. It also featured a beauty and attention to detail that revealed strong optimism about the future.
The Richmond Terrace Hotel is a wonderful example of the architectural accuracy of these models. The Italianate style scale model kit features many details, including an elaborate roof, tiling on the terrace, curved windows and shutters, and ornate balcony railing.
It's all as if to say, “this is how the west was won – in style.”
Speaking of style and details – can you see the man and his cat in the window?
In the 1890’s, frontier businesses were expanding, the population was growing, and architecture was getting more elaborate.
The Surry Hills Frontier Home typifies mid-nineteenth-century architecture, with details designed to be both pretty and practical. Local building materials were used to their greatest advantage. Slate or corrugated metal roofs were common, as were verandas to screen out the hot afternoon sun.
A large porch like the one on the Paddington Frontier Home served as a spot for visiting with neighbors, swapping stories, or scanning the Sears & Roebuck catalog for ‘wish list’ items.
Why Is Architectural Accuracy So Important?
Quality craftsmanship and carefully-considered details add tremendous pleasure to the building and ownership experience. As with actual building projects, the rear of these models are as well-crafted as the front of the buildings. When you gaze into the interior of a completed model, you can imagine what it was like to live there, in that building, on the frontier town, in a very different time period.
The Regency Frontier Home may have belonged to one of the town’s more successful businessmen – the banker or the general store owner.
Make Memories While You Build Your Models
Completing detailed, realistic models of an architecturally accurate frontier town can make history come alive – and building the high-quality town scape will guarantee the builder a host of new memories and a well-deserved sense of accomplishment.
While the buildings in our Frontier collection are ideal for young or inexperienced modelers, we often hear from accomplished builders who enjoy building this set, too. Each model can be completed in a single evening, which offers a great sense satisfaction as you see your Frontier town grow quickly.
Building the 1800s Frontier Town makes a great multigenerational project. Some families choose to give a different building to each family member, and then get together (in real life, or virtually) to show off their results.
Introducing Kids to New Hobbies
Not everyone outgrows snap-together bricks or highly stylized model kits. For those ready to move beyond the plastic brick, however, building accurate, scale models is a singular delight. Unlike some hobby kits, Little Building Company’s exquisitely detailed models are meant to be enjoyed during the building process and then as a beautiful display item and source of pride for years to come.
We won’t bore you with the research, but we’ve heard that family time and learning how doing something productive with your own hands are good, healthy habits that come with some pretty big paybacks.
Looking to keep your kids away from their phones? Need to reduce your own screen time? Consider completing the town with the miners’ cottage and the colonial cottage.
Order now. You'll love building your Frontier town!