Iconic Logs: Staten Island Chuck's Log Cabin

On this, the second of February, Punxsutawney Phil makes his annual prediction about the coming of spring by coming out of his burrow in Pennsylvania. If he sees his shadow, there will be six additional weeks of winter; if not, then spring is on its way. In essence, according to the groundhog, shadows are bad!

In a log home, we have a different view. Shadows on your logs, to a certain extent, are good! Shadows mean protection for your logs from the sun and rain via long overhang of the eaves. Shadows are also good when applying a log home finish, because application of stain in direct sunlight can lead to flash-drying and improper penetration of the stain into the wood. So shadows might be bad for the groundhog, but when you're in a log home, shade is good!

Incidentally, while Punxsutawney Phil is the groundhog of fame, he has a colleague to the north in New York. Staten Island Chuck is another rodent in the shadow watching business; but rather than a hole in the ground, Chuck lives in style. That's right, folks. Staten Island Chuck lives in a log cabin. That's a groundhog I can admire, and that's another way log cabins and log homes are interwoven with American history and culture!

Iconic Logs: Booker T Washington's Birthplace

There are notable U.S. Presidents who had humble beginnings in small log cabins, but they aren't the only leaders of this great nation who have started their life in a log home. In honor of Black History Month, we look at Booker T Washington.

Born in 1856, he was an orator, educator, author and political leader. He began life humbly as a slave in a cabin with a dirt floor; but determination and passion drove him through tiers of education, political leadership, and other notable landmarks. A powerful speaker, he became a driving force in the early events that led to the Civil Rights Movement, such as the Atlanta Compromise. Washington is a prime example on how historic log homes are dovetailed with the lives of crucial leaders in our country.

Washington was instrumental in starting schools, seeking support from philanthropists, educating others, and building a network of influential contacts. He professed the path to social equality for the African American community was through "industry, thrift, intelligence and property."

There is more information on Booker T Washington, an influential American leader who started life in a log cabin, on Wikipedia.

Sourced from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Booker_T._Washington