Mennonite settlers first arrived on the Manitoba prairie in 1875. These immigrants first became familiar with this structure when they settled in Russia nearly a century earlier.

The Semlin was often divided into two sections: one for the people and one for the livestock. This system helped to conserve heat in winter, as well as simplify the care of the animals. Considering the situation of early immigrants and the necessity of both a house and barn, construction of one large building was easier than that of two smaller ones. 

The Semlin was made by digging a hole approximately one meter deep then building a wall of sods up around the hole. Poles were extended across the walls and covered with sods, creating a roof. The average size of a Semlin was 15 by 35 feet, with the family section taking up a little over half the area. This area was often lined with shiplap purchased at Emerson. 

Although temporary and replaced within a few years, Semlins served as a “safe haven” from the elements. It provided a relatively warm shelter for settlers in the winter, protecting them from the fierce blizzards common on the open prairie as well as the unshaded heat of the sun in the summer.

A story is told of the skeptical settlers who lived in the Pembina Hills. They strongly doubted that anyone could settle and survive on the southern Manitoba prairie without any trees to build a house or provide shelter. When these settlers saw the dwellings built by the Mennonites, however, they saw it was indeed possible.