Reconstruction Details

Details of the Reconstructed Cabin

The cabin showcases construction elements from the mid-1800s, including hand-hewn logs joined with a corner-notching technique that creates interlocking wood joints. Chinking (the material placed between the logs) helped seal the structure, and whitewashed walls reflected light coming through the 9-X-9 pane glass windows.

A stone fireplace served was an essential feature of the home. During reconstruction, 65% of the original logs from the Charles C. Rich Cabin were preserved and reused.

During this time period, families slept on rope beds with gunnysack mattresses and used chamber pots at night. Oil lamps or candles provided light.

Charles C. Rich was a woodworker and built the cabin himself, and the space includes tools representative of his trade, such as a chisel for splitting wood, a mallet, a two-man crosscut saw, a bow saw, and a wood planer used to smooth wood.