The Amazing History of the Log Cabin

The Downingtown Log House, in Downingtown, Pa. sits near its original location along the Great Wagon Road.

​The Great Philadelphia Wagon Road should be as famous as the Oregon Trail. For a century, it was the primary immigration artery to the American interior, and shaped the culture that still defines the “frontier.” Adapting to American ways, most immigrants’ first home was a log house. Much like toy Lincoln Logs, these structures were relatively quick to build, durable, and even transportable. An amazing number of very old log structures remain, but many are unrecognized.

Philadelphia and the nearby towns of Lewes and New Castle, Delaware were collectively the “Ellis Island” of the 18th century. Shiploads of German and Scotch-Irish immigrants docked at these towns. Under the care of Lutheran, Reformed, and Presbyterian churches the immigrants headed west toward the Pennsylvania frontier, passing through Downingtown, Lancaster and York on the road that is now (in most places) U.S. Route 30. It was typically in Lancaster, along the Conestoga Creek, that they were outfitted for the long trip. Lancaster’s German craftsmen provided “Conestoga” wagons and “Pennsylvania” rifles along with other supplies. (Wagon drivers frequently smoked cigars, hence the slang "stogie" from "Conestoga.")

The remains of "Fort Gaddis" in Fayette County, Pa. have been left to deteriorate. It was built about 1770 by Thomas Gaddis, the uncle of two 8th Virginia soldiers who lived nearby. William and Henry Gaddis served in Capt. Croghan's company. William died in service in 1777. The house was called a "fort" because Thomas was a militia leader and the house served as a rallying point. A liberty pole was erected here during the 1794 Whiskey Rebellion in defiance of federal power. A family property dispute has prevented the building's conservation. Despite its appearance, it is not too late to save it. (Wikimedia Commons)

After Carlisle, the road turned south into the Cumberland Valley, through Western Maryland and into Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. From there it continued south all the way through Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina before terminating at Augusta, Georgia.

Other important thoroughfares connected with it along the way. The Great Wagon Road connected at Carlisle with the Forbes Road, a French and Indian War military road that led to Pittsburgh. Above Winchester, the Wagon Road intersected with Braddock’s Road, another vestige of the French and Indian War that connected Alexandria, Virginia with Pittsburgh. Near where Virginia met North Carolina (later Tennessee), the Wilderness Road turned west through the Cumberland Gap into Kentucky (originally party of Virginia).

Preserved Finnish-style old-world log houses at the Skansen open-air museum in Stockholm, Sweden. Scandinavian log houses are often built on stilts to protect the logs from moisture. In America, they are usually build on stone foundations instead. (author)

The settlers brought more than Conestoga wagons and Pennsylvania rifles with them. Perhaps the most enduring symbol of frontier life is the log cabin. This architectural marvel was first brought to America by the settlers of New Sweden—the short-lived colony of the Swedish Empire that preceded William Penn’s colony along the lower Delaware River. Many of the colonists were Finns (Finland was part of Sweden for centuries) who had grown up in log houses in the forests of Scandinavia. They were more comfortable in the forest than other early New World colonists and were among the first to venture inland. The log house is their contribution to American culture.

The original part of this house, built by Swedes about 1640 in what is now Drexel Hill, is the oldest house in Pennsylvania. There is an older one in New Jersey that was also part of the New Sweden colony.

Surprisingly, a large number of 17th- and 18th-century log houses remain standing along the Great Philadelphia Wagon Road corridor and the various connecting western immigration routes. Many are hidden under ancient clapboard or modern vinyl or aluminum siding. Others have been magnificently restored. Restorations often involve removing the siding, even though historic owners usually preferred siding to protect the structure and improve its appearance by making it look less rustic.

The document embedded below is an effort to start compiling a list of these important but often ignored historic structures. Please contribute to it by emailing [email protected].

Read more: "A Frontier Cabin Restored" (8/15/17)