The unique structures that characterize rural America - the covered wooden bridge, the adobe house, the barn, the log cabin, the treehouse, the stone wall - are the focus of this book. Built with wood, stone, or clay - materials that were close at hand - such structures represent a return to nature and the early tradition of American building.

The American countryside attracted European settlers in search of rich farmland. Bringing with them the architectural ideas of their native countries, but few highly skilled craftsmen and a lack of sophisticated tools, they developed a more simplified building style. Often an entire community was called upon to participate in the building of a house, barn, or church, and the traditions of the diverse cultures were combined to produce a unique American form.

Extended captions accompany interior and exterior photographs of beautiful examples of rural architecture - including the colonial house, the Shaker dwelling, and the adobe mission - that demonstrate the simple splendors of rural America.