Log Cabin Made From Power Poles

2013 - Volume #37, Issue #5, Page #44

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“Many years ago I saw a nice picture of a log cabin near a lake and I decided right then I’d have a cabin like that someday,” says Gloria Van Voorst, Lakefield, Minn.
    Not too many years later, she decided to use old electrical poles to build her log cabin. “None of us knew anything about building a log cabin,” Gloria says, “but we looked at a lot of pictures and finally just started putting the house together.” It took a full summer of working weekends and holidays, to finish.
    “We used a chainsaw to cut the end joints and smooth the surface of the poles. We used concrete for chinking and the rafters and roof boards were made from used lumber. The two small windows and entry door were taken from an old chicken coop.”
    The cabin is 10 ft. wide by 14 ft. long and stands just over 7 ft. at the eaves and 14 ft. at the peak of the roof. Gloria says if she would’ve checked her history notes closer she would’ve built it 12 ft. square. That number is significant because then it would’ve been the same size as what early settlers were required to build to homestead a 160 acre parcel of land in the 1800’s.
    Gloria tells stories about her great grandfather, who homesteaded in North Dakota to her classroom kids when she brings them out to her cabin.
    “Their eyes get really big when they look inside and see how small it is,” says Gloria. “Early settlers would have had a dirt floor, but my cabin has concrete to keep the rodents away.” Furnishings include a treadle sewing machine, a bed made out of wood branches, a horsehide blanket, two old chairs, a lantern and a little wood stove. There’s a small cupboard with a few kitchen utensils and a crude ladder that goes up to the loft, where other members of a family would’ve slept. Gloria says, “It’s hard to believe that families of 4 to 6 people would’ve survived in something like this, but they were tough and didn’t know of modern conveniences.”
    Gloria’s cabin sits on a small plot of land near Lakefield, Minn., down a long lane and near a stand of cottonwood trees next to a small pond. That’s a setting very much like the early pioneers.
    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Gloria Van Voorst, 43677 820th St., Lakefield, Minn. 56150 (ph 507 662-6665).

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Log Cabin Made From Power Poles BUILDINGS Houses “Many years ago I saw a nice picture of a log cabin near a lake and I decided right then I’d have a cabin like that someday ” says Gloria Van Voorst Lakefield Minn Not too many years later she decided to use old electrical poles to build her log cabin “None of us knew anything about building a log cabin ” Gloria says “but we looked at a lot of pictures and finally just started putting the house together ” It took a full summer of working weekends and holidays to finish “We used a chainsaw to cut the end joints and smooth the surface of the poles We used concrete for chinking and the rafters and roof boards were made from used lumber The two small windows and entry door were taken from an old chicken coop ” The cabin is 10 ft wide by 14 ft long and stands just over 7 ft at the eaves and 14 ft at the peak of the roof Gloria says if she would’ve checked her history notes closer she would’ve built it 12 ft square That number is significant because then it would’ve been the same size as what early settlers were required to build to homestead a 160 acre parcel of land in the 1800’s Gloria tells stories about her great grandfather who homesteaded in North Dakota to her classroom kids when she brings them out to her cabin “Their eyes get really big when they look inside and see how small it is ” says Gloria “Early settlers would have had a dirt floor but my cabin has concrete to keep the rodents away ” Furnishings include a treadle sewing machine a bed made out of wood branches a horsehide blanket two old chairs a lantern and a little wood stove There’s a small cupboard with a few kitchen utensils and a crude ladder that goes up to the loft where other members of a family would’ve slept Gloria says “It’s hard to believe that families of 4 to 6 people would’ve survived in something like this but they were tough and didn’t know of modern conveniences ” Gloria’s cabin sits on a small plot of land near Lakefield Minn down a long lane and near a stand of cottonwood trees next to a small pond That’s a setting very much like the early pioneers Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Gloria Van Voorst 43677 820th St Lakefield Minn 56150 ph 507 662-6665

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