Have you ever wanted to just leave everything and everyone behind to live in a cabin in
the woods?
Hi everyone, ken here, today we are exploring the Palmers’ Log Cabin.
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In the mid 1880’s, Michigan Senator, Thomas Palmer wanted to surprise his wife Lizzie
with a very special gift.
Lizzie had grown tired of the constant hustle and bustle of city living.
At the time, a lady of status was expected to host fancy parties and wear a corset beneath
her elegant dresses, make appearances at charity functions, and meet for lunch with other women
of status.
But Lizzie wanted nothing more than to escape her societal expectations.
She dreamed of running through fields barefoot with her hair un brushed, of getting her hands
dirty in a garden, and waking up every morning to collect fresh eggs from chickens.
City living just was not for her.
Thomas saw how much his wife yearned for a change, and, in 1885, he decided to make her
dreams come true.
He had inherited about 300 acres outside of Detroit’s city center along Woodward Avenue,
and, after talking with Lizzie about what type of home she would live in if given the
chance, he commissioned architect George D Mason to design a Log Cabin.
The couple chose the perfect location on the property to begin building their log cabin,
trenching out an artificial pond which could be used as a swimming hole and stocked with
fish.
Lizzie oversaw every facet of the Cabin’s construction, choosing materials, finishes
and in large part, designing the interior with consultation from the architect.
When it was all said and done, the log cabin became one of the most unique homes of the
time.
Internally, it’s construction was that of a balloon frame containing a folk Victorian
house plan, but on the exterior, the brick foundation supported a façade of oak logs
left with their bark intact.
Entering the home, we arrive in the stair hall decorated with Americana and trophies
of local wildlife above a wood plank floor of alternating walnut and white maple.
The oak staircase features bulky newel posts at each of it’s 3 landings with simple balustrade
so as to be elegant without being ostentatious.
To one side, the dining room featured a table cozied up to a floor to ceiling brick fireplace.
From the ceiling, gourds, herbs, garlic, and other vegetations was suspended from the ceiling
above table with its mixed and matched chairs.
To the other side of the stair hall, the parlor mirrors the dining room with a nearly identical
fireplace and hanging maize.
Every seat was meant to be comfortable as the family would gather every summer night
to sing songs at the piano.
The bedrooms could be left open to allow for a cool breeze to, or their pocket doors could
be closed to contain the heat of wood burning stoves.
The Palmers added to their collection of Americana over time, brining in spinning wheels, tools
used on the frontier, and other odds and ends to demonstrate what life was like in the days
of the settlers.
The family returned to the house every summer where Lizzie could take a much needed break
from society’s expectations of her.
Thomas was known to invite other politicians over for bon fires, and when another senator
would visit, he would make them plant a tree instead of signing a guest log.
As the Palmers aged out of their days of ruffing it at their rugged country getaway, they donated
the cabin and land to the city to be used as a park with the condition that the ancient
forests surrounding the house were not to be altered in any way.
The log cabin was opened as a museum and remained open until it’s maintenance became a concern.
It was shut down to the public in 1979 and remained essentially abandoned.
Over the course of the next several decades, the cabin continued to deteriorate and fall
further into disrepair, then something amazing happened.
The community stepped up to form a foundation which intended to fix the log cabin and get
it opened to the public once again.
The restoration work appears to be on going, but the cabin is now open to the public for
just one day of every year for the park’s Log Cabin Day in June.
If you have ever had the rare opportunity to visit the cabin in person, I would love
to read about your experience down below in the comments section.
And while you’re there, make sure you’re subscribed so you never miss an exciting episode
of "ThisHouse"