Utilized by Mongolian traveler's part of nomadic tribes, the ger, pronounced gair and now referred to as a yurt, was a mobile home that was carried atop carts which were pulled by oxen as the tribes moved their herds of sheep and cattle across Asian lands. Although this mobile house was incredibly practical for their lifestyles, it was their permanent home of which they used as the central point of their universe.
Every detail throughout the ger was methodically well-thought out and served a specific purpose. The doors to the homes always faced the southern direction, the northern portion consisted of sacred space, and the eastern side of the ger housed feminine possessions while the western portion catered to more masculine features. With much thought embedded into these creations, the yurts were passed on through the generations of travelers as a way of life..
Within the last fifty years, the yurts resurgence has come to as many homeowners began seeking more natural and alternative methods of housing. A part of offbeat American culture as of the early 1960's, yurt's resurfaced after New Hampshire Quaker school teacher, Bill Coperthwaite, incorporated his personal passion of indigenous culture and art into his students' curriculum glamping.
An article featured in a 1962 National Geographic originally spurred Coperthwaite's interest in the historic structure. The feature was a detailed account of Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas' expedition to Mongolia and the source where the New Hampshire educator was first inspired by the ger. At the time of the article, Bill's students were studying the dynamics and formulas of roof construction and decided to take on the task of constructing a yurt roof. Shortly after, Bill and the students sought out to complete a full yurt structure and succeeded. Complete with sturdy cedar, lattice walls, a lattice roof, and a cloth covering, the group dons the title of the first modern day yurt constructers.
Immersed in the ancient Mongolian craft, Bill Coperthwaite, while attending Harvard University for his Doctorate's degree, set out to assemble an entire New Hampshire campus solely of yurts with the assistance of a group of students. The campus project even gave way to other projects with schools and communities throughout the United States. In addition, working on the projects allowed Coperthwaite's notions on yurt construction to evolve as an option for alternative housing.
Founded by Bill in 1972, the Yurt Foundation allows him to further his passion by advancing his skills and knowledge of indigenous cultures and implementing the original ideas into modern culture using state-of-the-art technology. Sitting down for an interview with Mother Earth News in 1973, Bill stated that the purpose of the foundation was, "... to transmit folk knowledge to help [his] contemporaries design a better society," because he, "liked the idea of working with an ancient principle to design a modern structure using modern materials."
Following in their teachers footsteps, many of Coperthwaite's pupils made their own modifications to the ancient ger. Student Kirk Bachman designed and built yurts to be used as ski huts in the mountains of central Idaho. Chuck Cox fabricated the tension band within the yurt known as, the steel aircraft cable. Lastly, Charlie Crawford, extremely gifted with his mathematical abilities, encouraged a group known as the Hoedads to use yurts as their housing within their home forest in Oregon.
With time progressing, these modern yurts began their journey to fame everywhere from mountain ski lofts and woodsy spas, to campgrounds and campsites nationwide. The movement gave rise to the recent notion of "glamping", meaning glamorous camping, which is much more comfortable and better than the traditional use of tents!
Anyone hoping for alternative housing as a better option to the conventional cabin or home, the yurt represented a sustainable option for living green and responsibly. Owners live in tune with nature as opposed to the usual combativeness that most homes and communities witness with nature. It is simply a form of respect for the environment.