Log Cabin Circa 1860

Pioneers in northeast Iowa were lucky to have abundant hardwood forests, providing wood for shelter, heat, and fencing. Initially, a subsistence log cabin would be built as the farm transitioned into a profitable venture. A typical log cabin on the Iowa prairie measured 18 feet by 16 feet, with its front facing south to capture sunlight The cabin shown here was constructed around 1860 by the George Peck family, who lived about two miles north of La Porte City and had five children. Peck was known as a naturalist and taxidermist, an avid reader who collected birds and eggs to trade for books in Boston. 1904, the Pecks relocated to Salem, Oregon, seeking to escape barbed wire fences and restrictions, as well as the dwindling bird species in Iowa. While at his cabin along the Cedar River, Peck collected nearly 500 specimens of plants and animals, selling much of his vast collection to Ellsworth College to finance his move. This included rare prairie chickens, whooping cranes, and a black-footed ferret. His son, Morton, followed in his footsteps, becoming a leading authority on plants in Oregon and the West Coast, with some of the Pecks’ specimens displayed at the Smithsonian Institute.