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Peek Inside America's Oldest Log Cabin

Nothnagle Cabin in Gibbstown, New Jersey is proof that log homes take top spot when it comes to longevity.

Written by Connor Fitzgerald
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Log cabins are built to stand the test of time–that's no secret. But which log cabin can claim the title of oldest in the country? The oldest log cabin in America is the Nothnagle Cabin in Gibbstown, New Jersey.
 
The cabin was built in 1638 by Finnish pioneer, Anthony Neilson, out of white oak. The bricks in the asymmetric corner fireplace were brought from Europe and used as ship’s ballast, and the iron pot hangers for cooking over the fire are dated back to the 1590s. In 1730, a loblolly pine floor and staircase were added to the upper level. The cabin originally measured 16 by 22 feet, but 200 years ago a larger colonial home was built on to the cabin. The three-bedroom, one-bath residence, with an eat-in kitchen, dining room, and parlor is situated on 1.3 acres with a gazebo, storage shed, machine shop and four-car garage.
 
The cabin stayed in the builder’s family until a relative, Harry Rink, purchased it in 1968. Rink and his wife, Doris, have maintained its original condition, furnishings, and antiquities. The couple gives educational tours of the cabin to educate what life was like for the first pioneers living in this country. Steeped in such rich history, the cabin was added to the Library of Congress in 1922, the State Register of Historic Sites in 1922, and the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. In 2011, experts declared Nothnagle Cabin to be the world’s oldest log cabin standing in its original place.

Tour the Oldest Log Cabin in America: The Nothnagle Cabin


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