Run Silent Dog Sled Trips
Home

       Meet Us

    Testimonials

   Meet Our Dogs

Trip Options

Our Backyard

What to Bring

   Accommodation
Close Ups

Yurt Rental

Racing Team

Contact Us

History of the Yurt

Our yurt.

The word "Yurt" or "Ger" is originally from the Turkic word meaning "dwelling place" in the sense of homeland. The original version of the Yurt was a circular structure that was sturdy, easy to mount, dismount and transport. It was made up of rods covered with animal skins, which they carried from camp to camp on oxen drawn carts. Some people trace the yurt back as far as the 4th century B.C.

Herodotus of Halicarnassus, the Greek historian, who lived between 484 and 424 B.C., was the first historian to describe what is believed to be the forerunner of the modern Yurt. Herodotus wrote about and described Ger Carts and felt tents used by Scythians who lived around the northwest coast of the Black Sea. Yurts were also encountered in the days of Genghis Khan. On Marco Polo's quest for an overland trade route, he observed the tribes of the Central Asian area of Mongolia using them. Some versions of Yurts are still used in areas of Russia, Mongolia and Siberia. They have since developed into the modern day version that has many versatile uses today.

William S. Coperthwaite is the first North American builder/developer of the modern day Yurt. He is responsible for adapting the ancient skin and frame of the traditional Mongolian Yurt to a western sawn timber frame design. He also developed the first lattice roof design built back in the early 60's with poles and birch bark. Bill has created more versions of the Yurt than anyone else.

Modern Yurts, although copying the basic idea of the originals, have been changed to adapt to the different environments in which they are used. In the U.S. and Canada, Yurts are made using hi-tech materials. They are highly engineered and made for extreme weather conditions like we have in northern Minnesota. In addition, erecting a Yurt can take several days and are not intended to be moved often. Interior partition walls can be added to separate living from bedroom and bath areas making a Yurt feel like a home. Though it resembles a tent in some ways, it is actually much stronger and weather tight.

Back to the Summer Yurt Rental Page