Domestic life in New England in the seventeenth century

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About this book

"Domestic life in New England in the seventeenth century" by George Francis Dow is a historical account written in the early 20th century. The work examines the everyday lives of early New England colonists, focusing on their homes, furnishings, clothing, social customs, and the practical realities and challenges they faced. Drawing from original records and estate inventories, the account aims to provide a fact-based, detailed reconstruction of domestic existence in Puritan society. At the start of the book, Dow lays out his purpose: to fill a gap in previous scholarship by addressing daily life alongside better-documented subjects such as architecture and the arts. The opening explores the contrasting realities of poverty and comfort among settlers, describes the evolution of living arrangements from primitive wigwams and temporary shelters to sturdier timber homes, and dispels common myths—such as the prevalence of log houses.