How and where did people get building materials and tools in earlier times?

Question

We now have Lowe’s and Home Depots right around the corner. I can call and get a handyman relatively easy. Before 1900, for example, before we had trucks and computers and logistics, how did anyone coordinate building houses? Did they have general contractors?

In: Other

Answer 1

I’m not sure about earlier, but in the US, modern hardware stores and such have existed from at least the 1870s. It was basically the same as nowadays.