A Dallas Family Embraces 1880s Life for Chip and Joanna Gaines’ New Show

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A Journey Back to the 1880s

Chip and Joanna Gaines, known for their popular home renovation shows, have launched a new series that takes viewers back in time. The show, titled Back to the Frontier, follows three families as they immerse themselves in the life of 1880s homesteaders. This unique social experiment sees participants living in the Canadian Rockies for eight weeks, leaving behind modern technology to experience a simpler way of life.

The series features Dallas-based dads Joe Riggs and Jason Hanna, who joined forces with their 10-year-old twin sons, Ethan and Lucas. For this adventure, they traded their high-tech lifestyles for the challenges of frontier living. The Homestead Act of 1862, which encouraged westward expansion during the era of Manifest Destiny, served as the historical backdrop for this experience. Under this act, citizens could claim land by paying a small fee and residing on it for five years.

Throughout the eight episodes of Back to the Frontier, Riggs and Hanna lived in a modest 600-square-foot cabin. The experience was far from easy, as they faced daily hardships. At night, the sound of mice scurrying across the wooden floors was a constant reminder of their isolation. Every drop of water had to be drawn from a well and carried into the cabin, highlighting the physical labor required to sustain life in such conditions.

This stark contrast to their usual lives, where technology plays a central role, was both challenging and enlightening. In their regular household, they relied on smart devices like Amazon’s Alexa to manage tasks such as raising bedroom curtains. Their children used electric toothbrushes, and a robotic vacuum cleaned their carpets. For Hanna, the appeal of the show lay in the opportunity to disconnect from this technological world.

“Our house is pretty well automated,” Hanna admitted. He felt that modern life often pulled their attention away from each other, even during family dinners when notifications would interrupt their time together.

Both Riggs and Hanna previously worked in corporate jobs, but the frontier experience forced them to slow down and focus on the present. During the evenings, they found themselves playing dominoes and card games, activities that helped them bond with their children. The boys learned practical skills like whittling sticks and building forts, using their imagination to create a lifestyle that was vastly different from what they knew.

The Gaineses, who partnered with Max for the series, believe that stepping away from the noise of everyday life can help people reconnect with what truly matters. They emphasized that the show highlights the value of simplicity and the importance of family.

Early in the season, each family assigned a head of household, a role traditionally reserved for men in the 1880s. Riggs noted that gender roles were deeply ingrained during that time. As a two-dad family, they had to navigate these expectations while still maintaining their own dynamics. Hanna took on the domestic responsibilities, while Riggs focused on outdoor tasks.

Riggs initially hesitated to leave his normal life for the summer, but he saw the opportunity as a chance to challenge societal norms and help normalize diverse family structures. Even after the show ended, the experience left lasting impressions on the family. Ethan developed a love for cooking, particularly mushrooms and pies, and the family now enjoys regular game nights, which Hanna described as “one-on-one bonding time.”

When the family returned to their hotel room after the show, Riggs noticed dirt under his fingernails, a sign of the hard work they had done. Looking at his unshaven reflection in the mirror, he reminisced about the scenic mountain views. Hanna missed the time spent in the garden with his sons, searching for ingredients to prepare meals.

Despite the challenges, there were aspects of the experience that neither man wished to return to. Both agreed that the lack of running water and electricity was a hardship they wouldn’t miss. However, the lessons learned and the memories created will stay with them forever.

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