US houses constructed in established areas prior to the 20th century are generally very solid. Take a walk around Salem MA (17th - 19th century) or any of the

US houses constructed in established areas prior to the 20th century are generally very solid. Take a walk around Salem MA (17th - 19th century) or any of the New England seacoast towns. There are shacks, but there are fine homes built by the rich merchants. Those homes, many in brick, are better than anything built today, though not thermally efficient. (The wind blowing through the walls keeps them aired out and rot free, LOL.) It is amazing they were able to build like that three hundred years ago, only a few decades after the area was first settled.