| Come tell.................... Of an old log cabin that has been raised in Southwest Wisconsin, near a small mining town in rural Shullsburg. This primitive structure dating back to the 1850's will once again tell a story of a way of life in the early settlements of our state. As folklore has it, once a cabin was completed a celebration was held. So with a strong appreciation of old things and old structures, Jerry and Donna Shepherd were glad you could join them for the 2nd Annual Christmas Celebration. Mary O'Leary's Cabin 21875 Silverthorn Rd Shullsburg, Wi And to make your days in the country, visit Mary O'Leary's Cabin tucked full of handmade folk art primitives and hand dids! |
| Tailings Country Store |
| Mary O'Leary's Cabin |
Designed Exclusively for Tailings Country Store by Miner Web Design
Memories of 1st Cabin Christmas November 2008 |
| Cabin full of: Antiques, Primitives, Make-do's, Hand-did's |
| Open on Special Occasions Directions: County O North Left on Silverthorn Rd Mary O'Leary's Cabin 2nd place on left |
| Memories of Fall Gathering September 2009 |
| Mary O'Leary's Cabin County O North Left on Silverthorn Rd Mary O'Leary's Cabin 2nd place on left Tel: 608-965-3220 |
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2nd Annual Cabin Christmas
Cabin Manager
Assistant Manager
| Coming!!!!! Fall Gathering September 18th at Mary O'Leary's Cabin! Hours 10-5 |
Lawn Maintenance Crew
| Coming Events Fall Gatherings Sept 18th Cabin Christmas Nov 12th, 13th, 14th |
Mary O’Leary’s log cabin was built near West Bend, Wisconsin some time around 1850. New settlers, eager to start their life in
the frontier needed shelter quick. Most were skilled in working with logs and timbers. A simple log cabin was usually the first
structure built on the new homestead.
Logs were felled, then hand hewn. This was the process of flattening two surfaces of the log. The flat surfaces were set facing
the inside and outside of the building. In this manner, fewer logs were needed to get the desired wall height. In between the logs,
chinking was applied. Chinking is the material stuffed between the logs. Its purpose was to keep out animals and the weather.
Initially, any available substance worked. Some materials used were dirt, clay, sawdust, wood shaving, rocks and sod. More durable
cabins and chinking consisting of crude mortar – sand mixed with lime paste or clay.
As time passed, and life became less hard, the outside of the log cabins was often covered over with wood clapboards. This was
done to keep the building more weather tight and to make the family look more well off, the cabin was either added on to with
additional rooms or the cabin was replaced with new stick built house. Often the old cabin was then used for other purposes, such
as feed and grain storage, livestock shelter, farm hand housing and machine sheds. If the roofs were kept in good repair, the log
cabin could last indefinitely.
Although the original purpose of this cabin will never be known for sure, it was probably built for the family’s first residence in
the new State of Wisconsin. As with most log cabins, it probably saw all possible uses. It has now found new life in the woods off
Silverthorn Road.
the frontier needed shelter quick. Most were skilled in working with logs and timbers. A simple log cabin was usually the first
structure built on the new homestead.
Logs were felled, then hand hewn. This was the process of flattening two surfaces of the log. The flat surfaces were set facing
the inside and outside of the building. In this manner, fewer logs were needed to get the desired wall height. In between the logs,
chinking was applied. Chinking is the material stuffed between the logs. Its purpose was to keep out animals and the weather.
Initially, any available substance worked. Some materials used were dirt, clay, sawdust, wood shaving, rocks and sod. More durable
cabins and chinking consisting of crude mortar – sand mixed with lime paste or clay.
As time passed, and life became less hard, the outside of the log cabins was often covered over with wood clapboards. This was
done to keep the building more weather tight and to make the family look more well off, the cabin was either added on to with
additional rooms or the cabin was replaced with new stick built house. Often the old cabin was then used for other purposes, such
as feed and grain storage, livestock shelter, farm hand housing and machine sheds. If the roofs were kept in good repair, the log
cabin could last indefinitely.
Although the original purpose of this cabin will never be known for sure, it was probably built for the family’s first residence in
the new State of Wisconsin. As with most log cabins, it probably saw all possible uses. It has now found new life in the woods off
Silverthorn Road.
