Roberts wanted her business, The Hair Quarters, to not only function as a modern shop but also to pay tribute to our heritage and to honor our ancestors whose hard work made it possible for us to enjoy what we have today. This 1800s style log cabin satisfies that desire.
The interior of the 1800 style log cabin, complete with all the modern amenities.
As we age, we realize the importance of our roots: where we came from, and what forces and events shaped us into who we are today. The sense of heritage and the desire to honor those who came before us can express itself in everyday life, as Carmen Roberts, Sidney, discovered. Roberts wanted to resume her hair styling career and she decided to build a shop on her property to accommodate the business. However, in the process she also wanted to honor her ancestry and to remind people of the early years that helped make this country great. Roberts therefore decided to build an 1800s style log cabin to house her hair studio.
“I built my shop, The Hair Quarters, to honor my ancestors,” Roberts explains. “They faced a lot of hardships to make our lives easier. They had to have faith to work so hard. They were sure of what they hoped for and certain of what they could not see.”
She continues, “I wanted something different when I built my shop so I decided on the log cabin style. I felt that this way I can witness to people where we came from and that life wasn’t always so modern and full of conveniences.”
Of course, Roberts does have 21st century amenities in her log cabin shop. “This was built to look rustic, but I do have running water and electricity in it,” Roberts remarks. “I do like modern conveniences. I thank God every time I turn on the washing machine because I don’t want to wash clothes on rocks along the river.”
She laughs and adds, “Besides, I didn’t think my customers would appreciate using an outhouse.”
Roberts knows all about outhouses and living a life full of hard work. She grew up on a dryland farm near the Red River Valley and the family had no running water until she was eight years old. “We called the outhouse ‘Mrs. Jones’ and we’d use Mrs. Jones all summer and fall,” Roberts comments. “We used a pail on the porch in the wintertime. We picked rocks by hand, and we worked hard. However, we didn’t miss what we didn’t have.”
She adds, “I remember this, and how hard we worked and I realize just how much more difficult it was for my grandparents to live and work, and how much less they had compared to my family.”
Roberts points out that her grandfather, the sixth child in a family with 11 children, was born in a dugout burrowed into the side of a hill. Her grandfather also was the first white child born in Odessa, Dakota Territory. The family struggled to make a living and worked long hours every day. Roberts’ grandfather, Charley Christofferson, delivered mail by horseback from Crary to Jerusalem and farmed his land, dealing with blizzards, the dirty 30s, and innumerable other hardships during his lifetime.
“It was a tough life for them,” Roberts says. “This cabin is a memorial to them and to all the hardworking people who made it possible for us to enjoy what we have today. We can’t forget how we got here and we can’t take their hardships for granted.”
Roberts hired an outfit from Lewistown to build her replica 1800s log cabin. The crew spent several months on the project and produced a gorgeous cabin both inside and out. “The crew brought the logs and they then stripped the bark with a draw knife so the logs would retain their natural knots,” Roberts says. “This is the way they built cabins in the 1800s. It is time consuming work and requires hard, manual labor, but the results are beautiful.”
She adds, “It took about two months to build the cabin. The crew did a good job as they understood my dream and what I was striving for. I now have a 230 square foot cabin built like people used to build them 200 years ago.”
Roberts has opened The Hair Quarters for business. She works Tuesdays through Saturdays and does hair styling for the whole family. She will work later hours when needed to accommodate customers who work long hours and cannot get an appointment during the day.
People may call Roberts at 433-4333 for appointments. Her business is located in the subdivision just across the canal on the Lambert Highway. After crossing the canal, turn left on County Road 348, go two blocks, and the cabin sits just off the road to the left.
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