The Sauk and Mesquakie lived in villages in the summer and relocated to hunting grounds for the winter months. Their summer dwellings consisted of permanent bark-houses situated near fields where women grew crops and gathered berries and fruit. These houses were long, often 40 to 60 feet in length, and housed several families. There was a row of cooking fires down the centre - one for each family.

Following the harvest, tribe members split up into smaller groups of families and moved to the forest. Here they built dome-shaped dwellings six feet tall, 12 to 18 feet in diameter. The roofs were made with bark or reeds. They were rounded so snow and rain could not collect. A hole in the top allowed smoke to escape. Each lodge, or wigwam, housed a single family, instead of several like the longhouses did.

Those tribe members who were too old and weak to spend the winter months in the forest remained at the village in the company of stronger young boys. A supply of food was stored for them underground in bark-lined storage spaces.

Nowadays, traditional housing is used only for ceremonial practices. Tribe members will often erect elaborate wigwams at powwows. However, it is becoming more and more common to see store-bought tents.