Tom Featherstone
03-27-2012, 03:32 AM
The Negaunee Lions Club of Michigan's Upper Peninsula has taken on a Log Cabin Reconstruction project. This 16 x 20 miners cabin was dismantled and will be reconstructed closer to Downtown Negaunee in a reclaimed area called "Old
Town".
Negaunee pioneer Samuel Collins brought his family to Negaunee in 1867. They lived in a log cabin while he built the first framed house in Cornishtown Location near the Jackson Mine. In 2009, a log cabin was found within the walls of a small house being demolished in the Collins First Addition to the City of Negaunee, near the football field. Research indicates that the log cabin had been moved from another location and rebuilt in 1913 on a concrete foundation owned by Samuel Collins. The logs were covered with siding, which protected them while the structure stood for nearly 100 years. After being discovered in 2009, the cabin was taken apart, log by log, and stored by members of the Lions Club.
The Collins cabin is ready to be put back together on a site across Tobin Street form the Negaunee Senior Center, near the park. The project is being spearheaded by Jim Thomas and Dave Dompierre, Sr., as well as other Lions members. Fundraising is now taking place to help restore the pioneer home for public viewing. Most of the restoration work will be done by volunteers; however, donations are needed to cover costs related to permits, site preparation, foundation, roof construction and some other related needs. Donations to support the restoration of the cabin can be marked "Collins Log Cabin" and mailed to the Negaunee Historical Society, P.O. Box 221, Negaunee, MI 49866-0221. Everyone is encouraged to play a part in this project.
Another bit of History. Negaunee Michigan is where the first Iron Ore Deposits were found in North America. Google "Negaunee, MI" You'll see all the history of the steel industry and where it came from. And the importance to the history and to where we're at today. They still have active Iron Ore mines here today and no matter what side of the fence you're on as mining is concerned it is mind boggling the process they go through to reduce rock into pure Iron Ore.
To be honest I kind of came into this project kind of late. My plate is pretty much full with my responsibilities with the Lions Club already and if I'd seen what they had started with I would have suggested that it would have made for a great Bonfire right where it was located. None the less this project will be done. I too will be contributing and will be looking here for technical support from my LHBA brethren that have way more experience than me.
I'll post more here as I come up to speed on this project. I should have more information by the end of the week with photos to follow.
Tom
Town".
Negaunee pioneer Samuel Collins brought his family to Negaunee in 1867. They lived in a log cabin while he built the first framed house in Cornishtown Location near the Jackson Mine. In 2009, a log cabin was found within the walls of a small house being demolished in the Collins First Addition to the City of Negaunee, near the football field. Research indicates that the log cabin had been moved from another location and rebuilt in 1913 on a concrete foundation owned by Samuel Collins. The logs were covered with siding, which protected them while the structure stood for nearly 100 years. After being discovered in 2009, the cabin was taken apart, log by log, and stored by members of the Lions Club.
The Collins cabin is ready to be put back together on a site across Tobin Street form the Negaunee Senior Center, near the park. The project is being spearheaded by Jim Thomas and Dave Dompierre, Sr., as well as other Lions members. Fundraising is now taking place to help restore the pioneer home for public viewing. Most of the restoration work will be done by volunteers; however, donations are needed to cover costs related to permits, site preparation, foundation, roof construction and some other related needs. Donations to support the restoration of the cabin can be marked "Collins Log Cabin" and mailed to the Negaunee Historical Society, P.O. Box 221, Negaunee, MI 49866-0221. Everyone is encouraged to play a part in this project.
Another bit of History. Negaunee Michigan is where the first Iron Ore Deposits were found in North America. Google "Negaunee, MI" You'll see all the history of the steel industry and where it came from. And the importance to the history and to where we're at today. They still have active Iron Ore mines here today and no matter what side of the fence you're on as mining is concerned it is mind boggling the process they go through to reduce rock into pure Iron Ore.
To be honest I kind of came into this project kind of late. My plate is pretty much full with my responsibilities with the Lions Club already and if I'd seen what they had started with I would have suggested that it would have made for a great Bonfire right where it was located. None the less this project will be done. I too will be contributing and will be looking here for technical support from my LHBA brethren that have way more experience than me.
I'll post more here as I come up to speed on this project. I should have more information by the end of the week with photos to follow.
Tom