" ... structures be from the same basic "kit"? "
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Keep in mind that just like there were "railroad men" in the 1880's, there were other specialized trades such as builders and carpenters that boomed about through the mining camps and frontier towns doing what they did best. While I would not say that a "kit" was an impossibility, it is far more likely that a builder, carpenter, or even a roving crew could have built MANY structures throughtout a region, and since these jobs have traditionally paid by the completed project, what better way for a carpenter/builder to make the fastest buck than to get good at building a basic platform over and over ?
Another consideration was the remoteness of this region in the day and the relative difficulty of importing materials versus getting stuff locally. There were saw and planing mills all over the western frontier in those days. And once a job was done, what was there to do besides move on looking for the next job? It is remarkable how one can find the historical trails left by good builder / craftsmen if a person knows how to identify a given person's skills and style.
Having been in the trade now for 30 years, it would be my guess that either this vernacular falsefront style worked out easily to fit readily available materials and hardware and/or it was a given builder's favored "footprint" for this style of building which was in high demand in those days.
Cool thread. Thanks to all who posted photos.