Preview
Creation Date
1979
Description
Date Built - built ca. 1810, moved to Western in 1979
Cost of Construction - $10,000 to move the house to Western
Architects - built by Archibald Felts
Namesake - The cabin is named for the family that built and lived in it.
History - The home was built in Logan County ca 1810. Archibald Felts built it for his family to stay safe. When Felts went to meet some family in Nashville, the home was burned by Indians. When his family made it to Bowling Green they lived in a cave while Felts built what is now known the Felts Log House. His descendants lived in the house until 1960.
The house was donated to the Kentucky Museum in 1979 by its most recent owner, Sam Houston Watkins. The house has two chimneys and a dogtrot. When the house was moved to Western it was converted to a pioneer museum. It took movers three days to move the house. It has since been furnished with pioneer-era reproductions.
Additions:
1980 - it took three years to completely restore the house; rotten logs, siding, and mud chinking was replaced, a roof of hand-split red oak shingles was added
1990 - renovations; $30,000 was used to furnish the interior
Park City Daily News:
1983 August 17, p. 11A
1987 May 8
1988 April 17
1989 July 24
1990 December 14
1991 March 31
1992 March 13
2004 July 6
2005 March 23
Given, Elise. Movin' On: Log Cabin Hauled to New Spot in Three-Day Team Production, 6/22/1980
Restoration, 10/20/1980
Louisville Courier-Journal
1980 June 20 & 23
Cabin Cruising, 6/21/1980
Osinski, Bill. Log Home Gets New Location, New Purpose, 6/1980
Veneman, Bill. "It Always 'Felt' Like Home," Bowling Green, Fall/Winter 1983
Russellville News Democrat
Milliken, Rena. Log Cabin Moved to WKU Campus, 6/19/1980
Western Alumnus Spring 1992
Keywords
Western Kentucky University, Log Cabins