MtMan-List: MtMan List Re: building Cabin

[DAVE PARKS <kc7cnw@gte.net>]

Just to add something for thought to Bill Klesinger's question on 
building an old style cabin. There may be little found today about the 
construction of earlier period cabins. Most of the plans available are of 
a more modern design. I suggest you use the newer info. for the how's of 
building a cabin, but look for old photographs of cabins built during the 
early 1850's. They wouldn't have changed too much. One thing I"ve noticed 
about the remote cabins I've found in my travels in the Gold Rush 
areas...all these cabins were found a long ways off the beaten path. One 
was at the end of a four day ride on horseback. The head of the outfit 
told me it was built by Joseph R. Walker on his trip to California. I 
could never seem to verify this information tho. An interesting side note 
to this "Walker Cabin" area is a few years later two friends of mine were 
sifting for beads in the floor of a small cave a days ride east of this 
cabin and found the barrel of a rifle marked "S. Hawkins St. Louis". the 
rear sight was gone and no trace of the rest of the gun could be found. I 
almost had the two talked out of that barrel, 'til one of them bought a 
T.C. and got interested in B.P.....DANG!
Each of these cabins had one thing in common...they were all built into a 
hillside at the back. Very low ceilings with the floors dug out to 
increase headroom. The beds were built into the corners and a table into 
the wall. All had shake roofs laid over round rafters and heavy front 
doors and walls. One of these cabins was found when we had to come down a 
steep mountain side covered in solid snow brush. Our bear hounds had 
chased a bear down this mountain. Halfway down we spotted an old miners 
cabin that was nearly grown over with snow brush. It was built into the 
mountain side just like the others I've found. This one had never been 
disturbed because of it's remote location. Inside there were still cans, 
bottles, cooking gear and an old cast iron stove. The prize was the two 
#6 Newhouse bear traps hanging on the wall. My friend and I still have 
them. (we shot the bear when it treed too!) It pays to get out in the 
woods and look around sometimes.                                     
                                 Regards, Dave Parks (Manywounds)