Log Houses
Loghurst, Canfield
First built in 1805 by Conrad Naff for his family, Loghurst passed through the hands of numerous owners over the years: the Conrad family until 1826, the Barnes family from 1826 until the late 1800s, and the Kyle family in the 1900s. The house was also bought as an investment by George Mygatt in 1826. The house served as a tavern and a stop in the Underground Railroad. The house is currently part of the Western Reserve Historical Society.
Picture by Brooke Bobovnyik
The house is weather boarded to protect the chinking (gaps between the logs).
Picture by Brooke Bobovnyik
The attic window, located at the top of the house, contains a decorative cornice that matches that of the front door. This window was most likely moved from the front of the house.
Picture by Brooke Bobovnyik
On the front of the building is flush siding which is located here under the porch. Flush siding is very narrow siding and is typically used on fine houses or for protection. This side of the house was altered, as the rest of the house contains clapboard (overlapping boards).
These porches were not part of the original house. They were added when Jacob Barnes and his family took up residence here after 1826. Barnes also enlarged the front windows and put the glass in the windows (which before consisted of oil paper).
Pictures by Brooke Bobovnyik
This room was not part of the original house built by Conrad Naff in 1805. This room was added by Jacob Barnes in the late 1820s.
Picture by Brooke Bobovnyik
This room was the starting point in Naff's house. It served as his kitchen. The wall paneling was put up by Barnes and stained with oxblood (a type of paint). This room became the parlor.
Pictures by Brooke Bobovnyik
In the 1900s, the house was sold to the Kyle Family. This room is staged to represent the style of the family. The Kyle family named the property "Loghurst."
This room, along with the Barnes parlor room, contain crown moldings, which would have been added much later.
Austin Log Cabin, Canfield
Located on South Racoon Road, the Austin Log cabin was almost demolished. In the 1970s, the Austintown Historical Society restored the house, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Picture by Brooke Bobovnyik
The chinkings on the side of the house suggest that there was most likely a larger window that was taken out and replaced with a smaller one.
Picture by Brooke Bobovnyik
While the cabin is labeled to have been from 1814, this is not necessarily the case. As Chris Klingemier explains, the design/content of the house suggests it's from the 1830s or 1840s.
Picture by Brooke Bobovnyik
The house sits on it original location, but was lifted and placed on a new foundation. The house once contained a south wing that contained a kitchen. The wing was removed and replaced with a fireplace. Usually, the chimney would break the peak of the roof to allow water to flow down in one direction. Here, instead, the water would hit the chimney.
Pictures by Brooke Bobovnyik
This is the kitchen. The hatch in the floor, shown in picture 3, is the size of the chimney that passed through the house. As it moves back towards the fireplace, it shrinks. If this house was from 1814, it would be much larger.
In addition to the chimney, the window panes are large, further supporting that the house is from the 1830s or '40s. Window panes in the early 1800s were much smaller and cheaper.
The sistering ceiling beams, seen in picture 4, contain arcs, which suggest they were moved along a circular saw. Circular saws weren't in use until the late 1830s.
Picture by Brooke Bobovnyik
This room, staged as a bedroom, is located atop the staircase.
Picture by Brooke Bobovnyik
In earlier houses, the side walls were typically 1.5 feet to 2.5 feet high. By the 1840s, the side walls became higher, as seen at this location.
Picture by Brooke Bobovnyik
In the ceiling beams in the basement, there are saw marks that suggest the beams came from a sash saw, which moves up and down to cut several boards at once.
Picture by Brooke Bobovnyik
Shelving is located on the basement walls to display numerous artifacts.
Picture by Brooke Bobovnyik
Larger artifacts are positioned on the floor all over the basement.
Vienna Township
Picture by Brooke Bobovnyik
The small garden next to the house.
Picture by Brooke Bobovnyik
The side porch was added to the house after it was reassembled.
Picture by Brooke Bobovnyik
This log house, originally located in Monroe County, was taken down log by log and reassembled in Vienna Township. The house previously contained siding, a wrap-around porch, and additions. It is believed that the bottom logs are chestnut and the rest are poplar. The house also contained a wood stove.
Picture by Brooke Bobovnyik
A picture of the downstairs. The far right wall (out of view) is made of the old floor panels from the second floor.
Picture by Brooke Bobovnyik
Originally, there were two bedrooms located on the second floor. The pipe from the stove downstairs came up through the floor to heat the rooms. The floor has since been repaired.
Champion, Ohio
Picture by Brooke Bobovnyik
The barn has been extended in various directions. The far left section and back section are new.
Picture by Brooke Bobovnyik
To tell the old section from the new, one has to look at the saw marks on the beams. Straight saw marks indicate original beams.
The roofing material was replaced from the original when additions were put in.
Picture by Brooke Bobovnyik
This site began as a four-bent ground barn that was lifted for a foundation and tile block base to be used as a dairy barn.
Other Sites
Picture by Brooke Bobovnyik
This 1804 log house, located in Harmony, Pennsylvania, would have originally contained a wooden roof. The section to the right is fetch work (pronounced fosh-work). The house would have contained sheathing on the outside to preserve it. The size of the window to the right of the door is not correct. It may have been added later. The foundation of the house does not look solid - the big spaces between the stones indicate it was veneered on.
Picture by Brooke Bobovnyik