Sime-Oswald Cabin << back to WCHS sites >>
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This pioneer cabin’s oak logs still bear the marks of the ax that split their lengths almost 150 years ago. They were hewn at a time when the country was reinventing itself after the Civil War. The cabin was built by Norwegian immigrant Arne Sime in 1869. “The skill, the work, the labor it took to do this — it is inconceivable to us today,” said Richard Holstad, a descendant of the cabin’s builder. Hanlontown is now home to the 18-by-30-foot two-story cabin that, despite as many as three moves from its original spot, still stands strong against time — with a little help. The cabin, large by most standards of early settler cabins, was probably built somewhere south of Highway 105 on or near the southbound lane of Interstate 35. It was most likely moved to a spot near that location before being moved to the late Leo and Jen Oswald farm west of Hanlontown. Leo and Jen’s son, the late Andy Oswald and his wife Pat donated the cabin and and much of the furnishings they had collected to Hanlontown’s Preserving Our Past in 2005. The condition of some of the logs the cabin was built of prevented moving it intact so once again it was disassembled and then reassembled behind the Citizens Savings Bank museum in Hanlontown. At some time in its history the cabin was the incorporated
into this house
Dedicated on July 15th 2012 the cabin is once again open to the public.
Open: Sundays, 2 to 4 p.m. first
Sunday in June through the last Sunday in August.
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