Log Cabins - American Housing in Michigan, Florida, Illinois and Ohio

The most typical, traditional American style home is one built of long cut logs. The time-honored log cabins came from the once plentiful oak or pine forests. Logs, about 14 inches in diameter, were just placed on top of each other with the tree bark intact to increase the longevity of the logs. To fill in the gaps between the logs, known as 'chinking'; dried leaves, tree barks, animal hairs or mortar were used. A log cabin was simple, basic, generally one-room. A log house was larger, with more rooms. Homes built of logs lasted for years, they were very steady and served our ancestors extremely well.

During the month of June, many like to reflect and appreciate this American ironic housing style on Log Cabin Day which is June 25th. There are log cabin enthusiasts dedicated to the preservation of log cabins and their history. They have helped promote this special day starting in 1986.

Some States Recognizing the American Log Cabin

Michigan
Across the nations, various states have special recognition of log cabins. In Michigan on June 28th, will be their annual Log Cabin Day featuring historical tours of authentic Michigan cabins. Some of those log cabins were built before 1840. This program is run by the Log Cabin Society of Michigan, located in Sodus, Michigan. Their membership helps preserve the structures and educate the public not only of the building and maintaining of log cabins but on the people and how their lived their life in a log house.

With over a hundred recognized log cabins scattered throughout Michigan, there are many for the public to visit. Some examples include:

In Owosso, a one room log cabin built in 1836 for Judge Elias Comstock.

Located in Traverse City is a cabin built in 1856, referred to as the Old Mission Peninsula.

In Traverse City is the 1858 Lighthouse Park log cabin. The Old Mission Peninsula Historical Society also puts on craft demonstrations, Civil War re-enactors and carriage rides.

In Midland, the Chippewa Nature Center's Homestead Farm has an 1870s log cabin and barn along with a schoolhouse made of logs from the 1880s.

In Detroit, is featured the 1885 Palmer Park log cabin. It was the summer home for Senator Thomas W. Palmer and his wife Lizzie. It is the only log cabin presently in Detroit.

In Port Huron is the log cabin built in 1854 for the Kammer family.

In Rapid River is a log cabin built after 1880 by Henry Frank Wnuck, an immigrant, has been restored by his descendants.

In Benton Township is the 1840 Jakway Log Cabin. The Jakway family came to Michigan by covered wagon in 1839. The cabin was original built at the juncture of Blue Creek and the Paw Paw River. In 1895, James Jenks Jakway, a descendant, had the cabin moved three miles away to Benton. Jakway descendants still own the cabin today.

Illinois
In Illinois, the most famous of log cabins would be 1837 Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site in Lerna, Illinois. It purpose is to preserve Thomas and Sarah Bush Lincoln last home. They were President Abraham Lincoln's father and step-mother and he did visit them in that cabin. Part of their program includes a living history program demonstrating life in on a 19th century farm.

Ohio
Many historical societies across the nation are working to restore and preserve this historical treasure, the American log cabin. Presently the Historical Society Madison Township of Ohio is trying to save a two-story, 200- year-old log cabin, quite rare a structure. It will be dissembled, repaired and placed as a museum at West Alexandra Road in Madison hopefully by 2010.

Florida
Not all log cabins are 100 years old or older. Many have been constructed throughout the 20th century. One such log cabin was built during the Great Depression of the 1930s in Martin County, Florida. It was never intended as a family's home but rather a community lodge or civic center and called "The Log Cabin". Since its completion in November 1937, it has served for local dances, band performances, public meetings, club meetings, whatever the community needed. By 1971, it had to be dismantled to make room for a school's expansion and stored until a new location in the county could be located. In 1981 it was painstaking assembled to its original glory and continues to this day to serve as a community center especially for Martin County's senior citizens.

So the beauty, joy and appreciation of the American log cabin continues into the 21st century.

Sources:

http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/June/logcabinday.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Log_cabin

http://www.lincolnlogcabin.org/

http://www.qtm.net/logcabincrafts/brochure.htm