LOOKS BEAUTIFUL ONE PLACE
YOU MAY WANT TO GET AN OLD
SCHOOL EXPERIENCE THIS
SUMMER IS IN PALMER PARK.
THERE'S A TREASURE STANDING
THERE BUILT IN THE 18 80s
AND MORE THAN 130 YEARS
LOOK INSIDE.
>> Chuck: PHOTO JOURNALIST
ALEX ATWELL TAKES US ON A
TOUR OF A UNIQUELY DETROIT
CABI.
FOR MOST PEOPLE THEY NEVER
HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE
THIS TYPE OF STRUCTURE
DETROIT.
>> WE ARE LOCATED IN THE LOG
CABIN.
>> THE SUMMER RETREAT.
>> THE LOG CABIN WAS BUILT
1885.
IT'S GOT THAT IMPORTANT
SIGNIFICANCE.
BACK IN THE LATE 1800s THIS
WAS VERY RURAL.
>> IN 1885 THIS WOULD HAVE
BEEN THE ONLY STRUCTURE THAT
WOULD HAVE BEEN HERE SUCH AS
THIS THIS WAS BASICALLY THE
WILDERNESS.
FAR.
>> THIS WAS THE HOME THAT
THEY STAYED IN THE WARMER
WEATHER INVITED PEOPLE FROM
FAR AND WIDE TO COME AND SEE
HOW LIFE USED TO BE IN THE
TIMES.
THEY REALLY LOOKED AT THIS
PLACE AS BEING A PEOPLE'S
GATHERING PLACE.
>> SENATOR PALMER SUPPOSEDLY
WOULD MEET PEOPLE ON THE
PORCH WITH A CORN COB PIPE
SO THESE DIGNITARIES ARE
WHERE ARE WE GOING TO STAY.
OF COURSE THEY WOULD COME
INTO THIS BEAUTIFUL
VICTORIAN HOME.
FIRST OF ALL YOU'RE WALKING
INTO A LOG CABIN WITH STAIN
GLASS.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU
SAW.
POCKET DOORS THAT ARE HERE.
HAVE YOU THESE VERY LARGE
THE ROOMS.
>> BEAUTIFUL WOOD.
THEY HAVE MODERN CONVENIENCE
OF AN INDOOR TOILET.
>> HAD YOU AN INDOOR KITCHEN
WHICH WAS UNUSUAL FOR THAT
PARTICULAR TIME.
THIS WAS A LOG CABIN THAT
WAS BUILT WITH ALL THE
MODERN CONVENIENCES.
THEY WERE VISIONARIES.
I SORT OF IMAGINED THE
PALMERS AS THE FIRST REAL
GLAM CAMPING BECAUSE IMAGINE
YOU'RE COMING HERE WITH
FIREPLACES AND THESE KINDS
OF THINGS.
IT WASN'T, IT'S NOT RUSTIC
ON THE INTERIOR BUT IT'S OF
COURSE WAS VERY VERY RUSTIC
ON THE EXTERIOR.
THE PALMERS WERE VERY
DYNAMIC PEOPLE IN THEIR DAY.
SENATOR.
HE WAS A VERY PROGRESSIVE
SENATOR.
>> HE WAS THE FIRST ONE TO
SPEAK ON WOMEN SUFFERAGE IN
CONGRESS.
>> I THINK IT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND OUR
ROOTS AND OUR HISTORY.
I HOPE THIS TREASURE OF A
BUILDING IS A LANDMARK TO
OUR ROOTS AND OUR HISTORY OF
DETROIT CAN BE PRESERVED.
>> BECAUSE WE WANT TO KEEP
THIS NOT ONLY FOR NOW BUT WE
CHILDREN.
>> THESE ARE ALL VERY MAGICAL
THINGS FOR OUR CHILDREN TO
LEARN ABOUT.
ALSO TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU
DON'T JUST TEAR THINGS DOWN.
WE TRY TO FIND OUT WHAT
THEIR HISTORY IS WHO LIVED
THERE, WHY THEY BUILT IT AND
HONOR THAT AND BRING THAT
SENSE OF LOVE OF NATURE AND
HISTORY INTO YOUR LIFE.
>> Tati: JOINING US NOW LIVE
IN STUDIO ARE CLEMSON
GRIFFIN AND BARBARA
PALMER PARK.
>> Chuck: WHAT'S SO COOL
ABOUT THIS YOU BROUGHT SOME
OF THE STAINED GLASS WITH
YOU.
HAPPENING ON SUNDAY?
>> SUNDAY IS LOG CABIN DAY.
IT'S THE FIFTH ANNUAL LOG
CABIN DAY.
IT'S THE ONLY DAY WHERE
PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY WALK
THROUGH THIS LOG CABIN THAT
WAS BUILT IN 1885.
IT WAS FINISHED IN 1887.
WE'LL HAVE ALL KINDS OF
EXCITING THINGS INSIDE.
QUILTERS AND BASKET MAKERS.
WE'LL HAVE A NATIVE AMERICAN
ARTIST WITH ARTIFACTS
TALKING ABOUT THE NATIVE
AMERICAN CULTURE THAT WAS
HERE BEFORE WE WERE HERE.
WE WILL HAVE THE STAIN GLASS
WINDOW ARTIST WHO'S HELPING
TO US RESTORE THESE WINDOWS.
REFLECTS THE CONDITION OF
THE WINDOWS.
THEY ARE FRAMES ARE ROTTING,
THE GLASS IS BREAKING AND
REFINISHED.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO RAISE
MONEY TO RESTORE IT.
>> Chuck: HOW MUCH OF THE
ORIGINAL ARE YOU ABLE TO
ARTIST?
WINDOWS.
THERE ARE A FEW THAT ARE
MISSING SOME JUST A COUPLE
PANES HERE AND THERE.
SHE'S USING THE OLD PAT
PERSON AND DOING THE OLD
STYLE WAY.
BUT OUTSIDE THE CABIN WE'LL
HAVE FIDDLERS THE SALINE
FIDDLERS WE'LL HAVE PROJECT
DAYDREAM YOUNG PEOPLE DOING
ACTING AND PERFORMING.
WE'LL HAVE SQUARE DANCING
AND I'LL LET CLINT SAY SOME
MORE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING?
>> WE'LL ALSO HAVE CHILDREN
DOING CRAFTS AND WE HAVE A
MAD HATTER THAT TAKES PRIZES
THAT ARE GIVEN.
WE'LL HAVE A BLACKSMITH THAT
IS THERE.
LEARNING ABOUT THE CIVIL
WAR.
>> IT'S BLACK HISTORY TROOP
FROM THE 102nd DIVISION.
THEY SET UP CAMP IN ATTIRE
FROM THE 1800s.
BACK IN TIME.
YOU THINK ABOUT GOING UP
WOODWARD AVENUE TO THE
WILDERNESS BUT LOG CABIN BUT
HIT INDOOR PLUMBING.
>> INDOOR PLUMBING.
INDOOR KITCHEN.
>> INDOOR KITCHEN.
>> Tati: WHEN I HEARD LOG
CABIN I WAS THINKING LIKE
MUCH INSIDE BUT THIS IS
AS GLAMAMPING THAT'S
GLAMOROUS CAMPING IT WASN
LIKE --
>> WHEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE IT
TOOK A LOT OF THOSE
MATERIALS AND THEY USED
THOSE MATERIALS IN THEIR LOG
CABIN.
>> THEY SET UP MANY, MANY
ANTIQUES FROM THEIR FAMILY
AND SO IT WAS RUSTIC ON THE
OUTSIDE BUT A VICTORIAN HOME
ON THE INSIDE.
>> Chuck: SO TELL US QUICKLY
PARKS.
>> WE'RE A NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATION.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY HARD
OVER THE PAST SIX YEARS TO
CLEAN UP THE PARK.
TO GET RID OF ALL THE WEEDS
AND THE OVERGROWTH THAT HID
THIS CABIN FOR MANY YEARS
BECAUSE IT REALLY WAS CLOSED
FOR THE MOST DECADES.
AND WE HAVE A YOGA FREE YOGA
ON SATURDAYS AND FREE TAI
CHI ON TUESDAYS.
WE HAVE A COMMUNITY GARDEN
AND WELCOME PEOPLE TO COME
AND HELP US IN THE GARDEN.
WE'VE GOT BIKE RIDES EVERY
THURSDAY.
WE HAVE EVENTS.
>> SUCH AS LOG CABIN DAY.
ALL OF THESE DAYS.