National Log Cabin Day

June 26th is National Log Cabin Day in America, so today we're going to find out some more about log cabins.

You don't have to be born in America to know what a log cabin home is or to celebrate this day. People from all over the world had log cabins with all sorts of designs. Some were small with only a single window, while others were a bit more fancy and used only as summer homes or hunting cabins.

Because log cabins have remained a favorite among all people, it is a day that is celebrated with fond memories that make it fun for anyone to enjoy. Let's begin our lesson about these homes and see what we can do to celebrate Log Cabin Day in our own area.

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What makes it a log cabin? Basically all homes for the most part are made of some type of wood. What makes log homes different is the way they are built.

A log cabin built hundreds of years ago was a type of house that was made with just the simplest of building materials without any nails. The house usually had one big room where everyone slept, a few windows, maybe a loft and a chimney, but as years went by they divided the rooms into smaller ones.

The house is made of trees that are cut into a specific length and laid on top of each other. To hold the logs together the builder cuts out notches on the ends of each log. He puts mud in the open spaces to seal the house of any cold air or drafts. They might use a type of mortar they mix from mud and manure. When it dries it becomes hard like cement and holds the logs in place. Over time they have to keep adding to it because they mortar dies and cracks causing some of it to fall out. We will watch some videos to show how this is done so you will better understand what it's like to build a real log cabin.

Photo by www.answers.comFor more information on log cabin, visit www.Britannica.com.

Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/log-cabin

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

Do you know where the original log cabins actually began? According to records, they were first built in Sweden and were named after the man who designed a simple home for his family when they immigrated to America in the Delaware Valley area. That's a place near where I grew up and where a lot of history of America took place. Early log homes were also used to keep prisoners during wartime.

Here are some examples of what those homes of the early 1600 - 1800's may have looked like.

Began in log cabin homes.

When the Swedes first came to America they came to the Delaware Valley in 1638 and settled in parts of Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. It was known as New Sweden.

Eventually some of these new travelers ended up establishing a settlement they called Swedesboro in New Jersey. It was a place that wasn't far from my home about 25 miles. It was near Paulsboro and on the waterfront.

Swedesboro has the oldest known settlement in America where an original log home still stands. It is a two story log home somewhat different than the ones we are used to seeing.

Photo credit by www.wikipedia.org

As America grew so did the logging business. Log structures branched out from just a home to businesses, train stations, churches, schools and govenrment buildings. Just about every building that went up was a type of log home.

Log cabins in my own "backyard" town

What a treat for us when our own little city Bridgeton was honored by the visit of King Carl XVI Gustav and Queen Silvia. It was on April 14th, 1988 when historical South Jersey opened its Farmstead Museum celebrating the anniversary of New Sweden's American Colony.

I taught in Bridgeton near the zoo; not even 5 minutes away. It was a place my students and I enjoyed. Certainly a great place to make history come alive for all of us. Inside the Swedish village you will see replicas of log buildings that include a blacksmith shop, country store, wheat barn, a small family log home and more. Some of the buildings even have authentic pieces of the 17th century.

GREAT NEWS TEACHERS and families alike. The Bridgeton Zoo is the VERY first zoo in America and it is FREE to the public, so it's a great place to visit without breaking the budget.  It is one of the last free zoos in America. Schools often include this field trip in their lessons for history, social studies and science including the zoo area.

There is a picnic area outside the zoo entrance and plenty of room for parking. If you are ever in southern Jersey, this is definitely a very exciting trip and worth seeing.

Side note:  I’m sorry to say that the buildings are not handicapped accessible, but the rest of the village and zoo are. For more information see: www.fieldtrip.com/nj/94514802.htm

Photo by: www.bridgetonrenaissanceleague.org

This was the place I was referring to in South Jersey right down the road from where my husband worked on Swedesboro-Paulsboro Road in Gibbstown, New Jersey. The Nothnagle Log House is located near where some of my family lives now.

It is said to have been built in 1638 and is most likely the oldest known log home "structure" in America. It is not the typical log home the way we think of them is it?

Photo credit by www.wikipedia.org

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If you think it was President Lincoln, you'd be wrong.

You might want to think this one out some. If the log home was in America during the 1600's it would make sense that President Lincoln was not the first leader to live in this type of home.

Back in 1839 a man named William Henry Harrison was part of the Whig Democratic Party. He was running for president at that time, and was criticized due to the fact that he lived in a log cabin. Teasing or not, Harrison went on to win becoming affectionately known as the "log cabin" president.

The list of presidents that grew up in log homes or just lived in them later on in their lives kept growing. However, only seven are listed to have been actually born in a log cabin.

Here are a few presidents who once lived in log cabins: Jackson, Polk, Buchanan, Fillmore, Johnson, Garfield, Roosevelt and of course - Lincoln who came between Fillmore and Johnson. So maybe if you live in a log home you might have a chance at becoming president one day too. You never know.

Photo credit by www.wikipedia.org

Photo by www.wpclipart.com

Photo by www.wpclipart.com

The McBride Log House somewhere near Pittsburg Pennsylvania was supposed to have been built around the late 1820s and was the oldest log residence in the United State. It was still being occupied up until July of 2011 when they tore it down.

This old house recently sold for $43,000 in 2011. The original property was sold for only $250. It was a two story house approximately 3,700 square feet with 12 rooms in it.

In 2004 the house caught fire and that was when the original logs were exposed dating it back to the 1800's and making it of historical value. There were attempts to raise money to preserve the building, but estimates showed it would take more than $250,000 to repair and the funds couldn't be raised. The new owner couldn't keep up with the existing deterioration of the house and had it torn down, saving the logs in hopes it could be reassembled at a different location.

To see more photographs of the McBride house visit: http://www.answers.com/topic/184-38th-street

Photo credit by www.wikipedia.org

Somewhere around Kearney, Missouri lived the James family. This is only a part of the real log cabin of the famous Frank and Jesse James. It was discovered when the siding was removed and exposed the original structure.

Learn more about Missouri authentic log homes and schools at http://missourifolkloresociety.truman.edu/mocabins.html

Photo credit by www.wikipedia.org

Here are some other things you may want to study on early settlements.

• C. A. Nothnagle Log House
• List of the oldest buildings in New Jersey
• List of the oldest buildings in the United States
• Log cabin
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Gloucester County, New Jersey
• Swedish American

What log cabin experience would be authentic without a real log chair? Can you picture how it was in early America where the entire family sat outside around a campfire and sang the old folk songs and spirituals?

The little log cabin was a place where memories were made. So why not write a song and sing about it like these people did.

Uncle John Scruggs from early America around the late 1920s. A must see.

Little Log Old Log Cabin in the Lane

Portner Wagoner sings An Old Cabin

Smiley Bates sings An Old Cabin

Log Cabin Dreams sung by Patty Judd

Little Log Cabin by the Sea by the Carter Family

Little Log Cabin in the Rain by the Boxcars

Photo by www.supercoloring.com

Guinness World Record - Largest Ever Lincoln Logs Structure

Like all authentic Lincoln Logs building sets, this set contains the handsomely created real wood logs you expect, and fun play accessories. This handy carry case has everything you need for hours of frontier farm building!

You can pretend what it would be like to live in a log cabin in your play log cabin. Imagine all the fun you could have pretending you were living in the olden days.Spend quality time with the family when building these projects together. Excellent learning tools in following directions, communication and social skills when building with others.

What other things can you do together to celebrate Log Cabin Day? Learn how to draw a log cabin or even make a Gingerbread House Log Cabin (so cool).

• European history of log cabins
• European settlers in the United States
• Traditional log buildings in North America
• Roofing
• Symbolism
• Examples
• Toys
• See also points of interest
• References
• Further reading
• External links

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