Log cabins have a rich history in Pennsylvania, reaching as far back as the 1630s, some half century before the state’s namesake, William Penn, was granted its land charter by Charles II (not, we should point out, that it was necessarily the monarch’s to give).
Today, of course, there are more cost-effective and energy-efficient options to give your home the romantic appearance and atmosphere of a traditional log home. An increasing number of homeowners in Pennsylvania and across the country are discovering the beauty and value of products like the patented TruLog™ steel siding system.
The Lower Swedish Cabin
According to the website Historic Restorations, the oldest surviving log structure in Pennsylvania dates to about 1640. Known as the Lower Swedish Cabin, the building is a traditional Swedish log home constructed from hewn logs that are stacked horizontally atop one another and joined with notched end-posts.
The Lower Swedish Cabin is one of the oldest known log homes in the United States, and like other cabins of its era it features corner chimneys to vent fires used for cooking and warmth, as well as clay chinking to seal the timber. The Lower Swedish Cabin served as a private residence until 1937; in 1980, the log home was added to the National Register of Historic Places, and it was restored to a state replicating its original condition in 1987.
Other Log Structures in the Keystone State
Pennsylvania’s historic log structures are not limited to cabins, however. With more widespread occupation by Swedish, Dutch, German, Irish and British settlers throughout the mid-1600s and into the 1700s came larger communities and a diverse array of log buildings.
Among Pennsylvania’s historic log structures that date from the 1600s through the 1800s are:
- Homes
- Barns
- Churches
- Forts
- Mills
- Stables
- Sheds
- Taverns
- Trading posts
Although log homes were progressively replaced by wood clapboard and other materials beginning in the 19th century, they have remained popular in Pennsylvania. The state annually ranks among the top in both log home building and log home-product manufacturing.
The TruLog™ Home
While log homes remain desirable, they can be expensive, and they come with significant hidden risks, including long-term maintenance costs.
The innovative TruLog system replicates the look and feel of real logs, right down to the grain, hew lines and chink lines. It also offers superior durability and energy efficiency, and requires no expensive annual maintenance.
To learn more about the benefits of TruLog, please contact TruLog online or call us at 970-646-4490. TruLog is based in Loveland, Colorado, but we ship nationwide and work with installers in multiple states including Pennsylvania, Texas, Colorado, Wyoming and Missouri.
