What did an 1850 log cabin from Buxton look like? This is the only surviving cabin from the area, which now sits on the Buxton Museum property.There were rules on the size of the buildings built at the settlement. Each of the houses had to be - at least - 24' x 18' x 12' high, with a porch across the front. Each was to be built 33' from the road with a picket fence and flower garden in front.
This particular cabin was built by Henry Colbert in 1852. It followed the Buxton plan almost to the letter, the only exception being that it sat much farther back on the property than 33'.
These were well-crafted log homes. There are two rooms at the front of the house, and a large kitchen than spans the width of the cabin at the back.
For more information and photos of the cabin, please visit: http://www.buxtonmuseum.com/exhibits/09_cab/pages/09_cab_01.htm
I'm currious as to the steps taken to build the homes. Were all compenents purchased form local millers etc.. or did the crafters actually produce and build the homes themselves. Part of my family line back the first decade of 1800's settled to the North of there,not the same place. Port Burwell area - 160km north.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking of doing some wood or stone work on my place up north - do you know of anything specifically used in ontario that is traditional?
The log homes in Buxton were built at a time when settlers were first clearing the land. My understanding is that they would have squared the timbers themselves and made shingles, shakes, etc. There was an early brickyard and a saw mill that was built in town. I think this was a case where most of the building was done by the settlers themselves, but there may have been some purchase from local millers. Obviously, other items were purchased from nearby Chatham, such as pottery, glass, etc.
ReplyDeleteAs for traditional methods, broadaxe, adze, and froe are all traditional methods of working timbers and shakes. There would have been a way of sawing timber into boards, certainly, but as you point out that may have involved a mill.