Homesteader's Log Cabin, Barn and Smokehouse - Chiloquin, OR - Homesteads on Waymarking.com

Homesteader's Cabin

The urge to have a piece of ground for your very own remains today one of our greatest desires. Pioneers left the settlements, crossed the plains, and settled in Oregon. Donation land claims settled some areas of the state, but the United States offered a 160 acre homestead if you would build a cabin and live on the land for five years. Till the tillable area and prove by two witnesses that you had fulfilled the requirements and the land was yours.

The homesteader was Fred Dingeler, who hewed juniper logs to create this cabin in the 1880s. The homestead was located near Antelope Valley in Klamath County.

The cabin is near 14 feet wide by 16 feet long. The work that created this stout cabin was that of a master craftsman. Notice the accuracy of the corner notches.

The logs in this cabin are heavier than usual and been hewed square with a broad axe. The roof was made steep for snow country and made of split pine shakes.

Another interpretive display reads:

Homesteader's Barn and Smokehouse

A hand hewn juniper log barn and smokehouse built by Fred Dingeler in the 1880s as part of his original homestead. Based on the pole manger found inside the barn it was probably used to barn cows and/or horses. The smokhouse was used to smoke meat which preserved the meat and allowed the homesteader to store up on food supplies.

The barn and smokehouse was one of several historic structures moved from the Dingeler homestead located near Antelope Valley in Klamath County..

The barn is 14 feet wide and 16 feet long and wedge shaped slabs have been driven in to fill the cracks between the logs and round holes have been drilled for wooden pegs to hang tack.

Note the corner notches of the barn, although similar on the homesteader's cabin the builder did not take the same pains to hew the logs out square as he did on the cabin.

The point of interest coordinates below are located at the original homestead of Fred Dingeler. Cool!