Fred,
All new houses are made with angles and middle of walls with cocrete posts reinforced with minimum 4 wires of 14mm (9/16"). We didn't have earthquake concern up to now, but who knows. Old part of house on picture is made in begining 50-es, so its 55y old. So, there was no sense to made addition with concrete posts. As you can see, our "pole barn" is done with reinforced concrete poles.
There is no wooden houses in my area, and if so, they are rebuilt old oak (thick 2" or more) houses, totally different built then there (according to the Eddie Walker pictures).
Old barns have mainly oak posts construction and with boards nailed vertically. 99% of them are tile roofed. Rest 1% is covered with rye straw, but very, very rare to find.