Pioneer Homes are historic building styles used by early European settlers in North America: the post and beam structures first built by English settlers along the Eastern Seaboard, the log houses constructed by "pioneers" on the forested frontier, sod houses on the prairies, and Spanish American adobe houses in the southwest. Modern variations of some of these styles are still being built today.

Each of these traditional building styles produced homes that clearly were different from other styles. They used local materials and unique construction techniques. In many ways, however, they had a lot in common. They all were well-adapted to the environment and they relied on freely available natural resources. The tools required were very simple. Generally, neighbors and friends worked together to create these dwellings. And Old World experience - from Europe and North Africa -- influenced design and construction.