Building a Fort on the History Channel

Im sure it was a rerun but last night on the History Channel they built a fort to resemble a fort built during the Lewis and Clark expedition.

It took 9 people 14 days and had two seperate structures with fenced in area connecting them.

All of it was made by felling trees and notching them together with simple tools like axes and hand drills.

It was fantastic. Ive always wanted to build a place like that. Mostly just to see if I could if I had to and how long it would take me.

Of course theres the trouble of finding land to build it on.

If society should crumble it wouldnt be too hard but currently land costs, construction permits and taxation make it impossible for me to have a go at it.

Unless I went up into a federal park to do it.

I recently read an article about how increased border security has forced drug cartels to grow fields of marijuana in the forests of California.

If they can hide fields of pot I should be able to hide a fort for some time at least. Then I could defend it against Mexican druggies!

Wouldn't it be cheaper just to re-enforce your existing house? You are more likely to be in your house when something happens anyway. You could have a problem if there is no way to get from your house to your 'safe spot'.

I've often considered buying an empty lot and building a castle/fort as my first house after I move out. Basically made entirely of rebar and concrete on the outside, with a solid metal door, and solid steel windowpanes that lock shut from the inside. Won't burn down, and pretty darn hard to bust through compared to regular houses. I'm just not sure what all the zoning laws are, and if it would look too different from other houses in the area that they would disallow it. It seems like it would actually be cheaper than a regular house.

Well, my intentions arent to survive some world ending event or a zombie assault. Basically Id like to be off of the grid, out of society and left alone.
Something thats hard to do when the tax man keeps knocking.

Unless of course I wanted to be a hobo. Id rather farm in peace than be a hobo.

But, I cant do it unless I want to turn a profit to fend off the government agents looking for their extortion payoff.

If property taxes suddenly ended Ib be out there tomorrow with an axe.

Originally posted by thisguyrighthere
Im sure it was a rerun but last night on the History Channel they built a fort to resemble a fort built during the Lewis and Clark expedition.

It took 9 people 14 days and had two seperate structures with fenced in area connecting them.

All of it was made by felling trees and notching them together with simple tools like axes and hand drills.

It was fantastic. Ive always wanted to build a place like that. Mostly just to see if I could if I had to and how long it would take me.

Of course theres the trouble of finding land to build it on.

If society should crumble it wouldnt be too hard but currently land costs, construction permits and taxation make it impossible for me to have a go at it.

Unless I went up into a federal park to do it.

I recently read an article about how increased border security has forced drug cartels to grow fields of marijuana in the forests of California.

If they can hide fields of pot I should be able to hide a fort for some time at least. Then I could defend it against Mexican druggies!

Ain't Mexicans growing dope up in the mountains of CA, it's more likely Aryan Brotherhood or some other white supremist group. Mexicans are usually just smugglers not growers. While I don't approve of the abuse of drugs, many of those folks make good neighbors as they tend to mind their own business and keep poachers, trespassers and nosy busy body types away from your property. The smarter ones have been at it for decades and have never been caught because they don't let their dogs crap on your front lawn, if you get my drift.

There's places throught out the Western and Southern US where land is priced less than $1,000 per acre. You may be better off in a survival situation in a less than hospitable area as folks like the desert as the roving band of savages are lazy and tend to avoid extending themselves. You may want to shelter in place in a small town that has been in decline economically. If you don't have a copy of Romney's Living Well on Practically Nothing, you should get a copy. It a very good book for folks who want to go off the grid.