Pitts Blacksmith shop update - a little history from the area.

Thank you Warren County Historical Society for this write up.

And here is a small map that shows Pitts just south of Wright City.

It is on this one also.

Largest Private Log Cabin in the USA

Really Big!

Pitt's blacksmith shop. . .

I don' know why I don't show this little cabin off as much as I do the big one.
So I am going to start doing that right now.

 It started it's life, not to far from where it is now, as a blacksmiths barn.

I don't know if a little village named Pitts was where it stood, or a farm near it was called Pitts.
But it came to be known as Pitts Blacksmith shop.
My brother and I took it down and moved it in a day.
It took a little longer than a day to rebuild it.

This is the front.

 The roof did not have as steep a pitch. I made the roof taller and steeper to accommodate a second story.

I also added some new logs at the bottom to make the whole structure a little taller.

I added one lean-to to store old doors and windows and such.
The other I added to cover my 1940's tractor, amongst other things now.

This is the back.

Rear view with a log hewn for another project that never got used but now looks great with the green moss.

It had never been chinked. The gaps between the logs were just covered with boards.
It had to many doors and windows, several probably add much later.

If you look closely at the top two rows of opening between the logs, you will see I left them un-chinked so people could see on way of feeling the space between the logs.

 Tractor side lean-to.

Now holding two canoes also.

 The short door is original.

 The short door, which again is original, but with a slide added from another cabin.

The long saw blade was found leaning against a tree. Probably from about 1930.

The chains are logging chains from Maine.

Home made patch from an old can.

Right now it serves as a workshop, but soon to become a guest cabin.

Movies with Log Cabins in them - #1 - "An Unfinished Life"

2005

Not a great movie, but it was fun to watch two old pros working together.

Morgan Freeman's characters cabin was pretty cool.

Glen Ellen Lodge built 1933

You can see more of it here.

OK, now this is a log cabin.

McGraws and Hills

And this.

From a Jan. 2013 road trip.

We (on this trip) did drive home through one of my favorite little villages, Schluersburg. Not much left, some old farms, a nice church, and a couple of real neat dog-trot log cabins.

This first one still lived in.

And this wonderfully maintained one that now serves as a little museum.

Period doors and windows are well taken care of.

I once did some consulting on this one.
The owner was worried about a twisted log up in the top half-story, and was concerned about the safety of the structure.
I examined the log, which was gigantic, and told him in my opinion the log had twisted many, many years ago, was to large and to dry to re-twist back, and because it was so old, it wasn't going to twist anymore.

That was over twenty years ago, and it still looks sound and beautiful on these undeveloped acres.

Snow still hanging on, on the north side.

Covered and protected on the sides and back.

Assistant had been asking about wishing wells, having spotted a yard decoration one on our drive, so when chance came to explore the real thing. . .
. . . off she went..

Doc's Country Store and Boothe Farms - Opp, AL.

 Even a drive to Florida can not stop the hunt for new log buildings.
This new one came by way of Opp, AL

We were flying down the highway when I spotted this place and it' log building.

Kinda of a tourist trap, with a very interesting little museum.
And the food most be pretty good in the cafe, because they sure were busy at lunch time.

 Here is the first view of the Boothe Cabin.

 Sign says '100 years old' in 2003.

Probably older.

Love how it is built high off the ground, southern style.

 Showing the complete front porch.

 Outside work was very well done.

 Inside is a little to shinny for me. The logs had probably been power washed or sand blasted and, to me, can come off looking to new.

The furniture did not seem to be places as if someone were going to use it, but rather seemly just put in the room.

 Nice porch.

 Stone work was very elegant.

 A couple buildings on the site offered some old cars and trucks.

 Besides this old Alabama store and gas pump, on site was also a family farm history museum.

 Inside the old store above.

Main entrance to store and restaurant.

Kinda of a fun stop, with a little play ground for the kids.
Could have been in the Ozarks.
Food looked good.

Centennial Farms

 Last Sept. me made a pilgrimage to pick apples in Augusta Mo. at Centennial Farms.

The apples were great and we had a fun time doing it. No one else around, so we had picking to ourselves.


The History of Centennial Farms.

 We also walked around the farm and made a quick check of the old farm house, and discovered it was an old log home.

As with many old farm homes, unless you know what to look for, you can't always tell if they are log or not.

With the shake siding having been removed from the front porch, it was pretty easy to tell on this one.

 Closer view.

 The foundation is well maintained, and tucked real well.

What would have been the front view.
You now enter the property from the side of the house, so people don't always get this view.











Assistant hard at work.

Nice old door.

The front was probably sided at one time also, but is now removed to show the logs.

It as also been re-chinked.

 Finished corner.

Nice stone fireplace and view of second story poarch.

 I added my hand so you could see how thick the logs are.

A neat log barn on another blog.. . .

Here.