Is that a cat in the window?

19th Century frontier homes were designed to be sturdy and beautiful. In a time when people visited on verandas and told stories in their parlors, every detail mattered. This fine scale model of American Cherry honors those details – right down to the cat you can see through the window. An easy, enjoyable project to build, it offers satisfaction for the modeler during assembly, and then serves as a source of pride – and a reminder of that frontier spirit – for years to come.

Revisit frontier times by building your own 19^th century terrace home.

Strong, sturdy, expertly-crafted terrace homes were popular during frontier times. Economical, English-inspired architecture purposefully positioned rooms in the front of the house to receive guests; and those guests would notice and remark on every detail.

When they weren’t hard at work – and everyone in a frontier town worked hard – people passed the time by visiting and telling stories. A trip to the bank, general store, or saloon was cause for excitement, and when the stagecoach arrived in town with the mail, everyone had something to talk about, in the parlor, or maybe on the veranda.

While the frontier town occupies a very special place in American history, in fact, the frontier spirit was alive and well all over the world in the mid-1800s. 

The Surry Hill Frontier Home design is based on homes typical of Australia’s expanding frontier in the 1840s-1890s. Like many in the American West, it featured subtle architectural details commonly seen in nineteenth-century English designs. Local timber and stone were prominent building materials. Slate or sometimes corrugated metal would fashion the roof.

Details were for show, certainly – walls might be lime washed or painted salmon pink, then decorated with hood molds and carved panels – but their designs always served a purpose, too. The veranda screened out the mid-day sun. Kitchen and laundry spaces were often accommodated in extensions at the rear of the building. Those front rooms were for visiting, or gossiping. A third floor, with a dormer window, might provide bedrooms for kids or servants.

This scale model is authentic, and accurate details inside as well as out invite you to consider what life was really like on the frontier.

Yes, that’s a cat in the window. What would the neighbors have to say about its mousing skills?

This kit is also included as part of our Frontier Town Streetscape! 

Fine Wood, Frontier-Inspired Model Village

The Terrace collection is comprised of four beautiful, accurate scale model kits that you can build in one or two evenings. Then you can sit back, admire, take compliments, and revel in that frontier feeling for years to come.

Build the set to create your own town. Perfect for a holiday display, or a nostalgic nod to the wild wonder of a unique era to enjoy all year long.

Kit includes wooden parts and sandpaper. Wood glue is required to complete the model and is not included with the kit.

Product Details

Materials: American Cherry
Origin: Australia

— Warranty: Manufacturer's 90 Days
— Architectural Scale Model
— Scale: 1:100
— Recommended Age: 12 & Up
— Assembly Time: 2 Hours
— Completed Dimensions 2.28"L x 4"W x 4:33"H
— Some Tools Required (Not Included)
— Instructions Included

Model by Little Building Co.  Click here to learn more about the artist behind this fine model.