Where Did Log Cabins Originate from?

For centuries, the log cabin has represented frontier life. It was the first style of home of our ancestors who sought freedom in this new world. However, the log cabin wasn't simply created out of necessity for shelter by our forefathers; it was actually a traditional building brought to our land from another country.

Identification

Though they've become a symbol of early settler life here in America, the log cabin didn't actually originate here. While the actual origin of the log cabin is still up for debate, history points to Sweden as the source of this colonist structure. Long before this nation was settled, log buildings were commonly built for not only residences but as barns, sheds, shelters and other buildings across the Scandinavian countryside.

Function

Around 1638, the first log cabins were built in the city of Wilmington, Delaware. Most were constructed by settlers from either Sweden or Finland, and their method of production was quickly adopted by other immigrants. Few still remain because they were only meant to be temporary residences. After better houses were built, the family then moved out of the log cabin and simply used it as an outbuilding on their land.

Significance

It's hard to believe that anyone could actually survive in a log cabin. Not that living in a one-room residence, or "pen" as it was often referred, was impossible, but to stay warm in severe weather without the "luxuries" we have today seems hard to believe. Yet, log cabins weren't erected haphazardly. At the very beginning of pioneer life, the site on which the cabin was built needed to hold certain attributes. Not only did they take into account the location in relation to the management of their land, they also made sure the building was built on a location that would get ample sunlight and provide proper drainage.

Features

At the time, the standard long cabin was usually 10 feet wide and between12 to 20 feet long--the size was usually dependent on the materials available for its construction. Most, if not all, had a single door in which to enter the residence and an attic space that could be used as a loft. To accommodate their need for heat, a chimney was constructed on the exterior and any windows would be covered with an oiled paper (when unable to acquire glass) and/or a set of wooden shutters. Any of the typical openings, such as windows, doors and fireplaces, were actually made after the structure was erected, and then a moss- or mud-based compound was used as an insulator around the logs.

Expert Insight

The logs in which were used to construct the log cabins typically were removed of their bark. This wasn't for aesthetic reasons, though many people would whitewash their cabins to make them appear far more attractive; it was actually to keep the insects from nesting in the bark and infesting the new home.