The Dickson Log House

The Dickson log house is a well-preserved example of a late 18th century log dwelling. It represents a common structure on the frontier of Pennsylvania in the 1790s and is one of only a few such buildings preserved in the area north of the Ohio River. The log house is 16 x 20 feet and dates to approximately 1796. A 16 x 13 foot stone addition had been added; probably around 1820. In addition, the door at the rear of the house may have been cut at a later date.

The house originally stood a short distance north of this present location and the front faced the river. This is roughly where our neighbor's modern building is located. The log house was found when the existing structure was razed by a new owner in 1983. With the cooperation of the owner, the demolition was halted while local citizens worked to save the log portion of the house. Eventually BAAHA was formed and the log house was reconstructed from the original logs in this present location. Pictures on the wall in the house document the house as found as well as scenes of the demolition and reconstruction.

We call it a log house, rather than a log cabin, because it was constructed with a wooden floor and foundation. A cabin usually had a dirt floor without any foundation. A house was more permanent and was more likely to have the logs squared off.

The log house is significant for two reasons. The first is its direct link with one of the earliest settlers in the area and second for its location. It stands near a major routes of land and water that were used for travel from Pittsburgh to the depreciation lands of Western Pennsylvania and to the Old Northwest Territories (Ohio) once the area was safe for white settlers.