Early settlers lived a hard, self-reliant life. Their diet consisted largely of pork, beef, fish, game, grits, sweet potatoes, butter, a little milk, and syrup. Flour could be bought at the local store, but ground, dried acorns were added to make it go further, and sweet potatoes were dried in the sun, ground, and used as a coffee substitute. People became skilled at foraging, hunting, and fishing, using many wild plants that are still present in the park. Cabins were small and primitive, with no running water or electricity, and people worked from before dawn to dusk. Furniture and clothing were often homemade because money was scarce, and a trip by ox cart into the nearest town, Sanford, could take two days.