Thatched Roofs and Open Sides: The Architecture of Chickees and Their Changing Role in Seminole Society

One of the most prevalent misconceptions about the architecture of Native Americans is that they all lived in teepees or wigwams. In Thatched Roofs and Open Sides, Carrie Dilley reveals the design, construction, history, and cultural significance of the chickee, the unique Seminole structure made of palmetto and cypress.

Dilley interviews builders and surveys over five hundred chickees on the Big Cypress Indian Reservation, illustrating how the multipurpose structure has evolved over time to meet the changing needs of the Seminole Tribe.