Straw house in Paleolithic Era Straw houses have been built on the African plains since the P aleolithic Era. Straw bales were used in construction 400 years ago in Germany; and straw-thatched roofs have long been used in northern Europe and Asia. When European Settlers came to North America, t eepees were insulated in winter with loose straw between the inner lining and outer cover. Straw-bale construction was greatly facilitated by the mechanical hay baler, which was invented in the 1850s and was widespread by the 1890s. It proved particularly useful in the N ebraska Sandhills . Pioneers seeking land under the 1862 H omestead Act and the 1904 K inkaid Act found a dearth of trees over much of Nebraska. In many parts of the state, the soil was suitable for dugouts and s od houses . However, in the Sandhills, the soil generally made poor construction sod; in the few places where suitable sod could be found, it was more valuable for agriculture than as a building material.