–SOLD TO Eric B in Georgia (GA) 10/11/2016 —
This hand hewn mantel beam came from a vertical, stockade style, log cabin. The wood is ash and shows the typical characteristics of ash — pale color, busy grains, and a hint of green. This mantel could possibility be stained as well to darken up. The face has been sanded pretty flat and clean. The top shows much more interesting grain patterns, cracks, worm trails, and nail holes. The bottom shows much more of the original ax work. Looks like they were busy chopping in all kinds of different directions.

One of the interesting features is this row of hack marks that runs along the bottom of the face. It took us a while to figure out why the marks were there. Well, it turns out that the original carpenter roughed up the wood so that the chinking (i.e. insulation) between the logs, which was made of grass and fabric, would stay into place and not fall down. The last picture in the set shows some of the grass chinking. The bottom of the mantel beam has a much more character and color variation. That was probably the outside of the building. The top is much more even toned and was probably the inside of the log cabin.

From what we can tell, this cabin was built in 1894. There were old Swedish newspapers stuck to the wall for insulation. Between the logs, there was chinking made of grasses and old fabric. We’re trying to clarify the history. The area Buffalo, Minnesota area was settled with a mix of Swedish, Polish, and German immigrants. There’s some reports that making vertical log cabins was common in a small area in Poland. It is certainly plausible that Polish immigrant brought over this construction technique. There was another vertical log cabin found in the area.

A Swedish family, the Mainquist’s, lived on the farm from about 1930 to 2013. There are some nice pictures on the Minnesota Historical Society website of the Mainquist Family — Evert with Calf, Carol Mainquist sitting on a disc harrow, and Break from threshing on Evert Mainquist farm. You can see the old house in the background of the Carol image.

Also note, if you’re interest in Swedish-American Pioneer history, the Vilhelm Moberg’s Emigrants book series comes highly recommended.

This one has been discounted to $100/LF just because I am not thrilled by the tinge of green. We can cut the length down and reduce the price by $8.33 per lineal inch, up to a $100 discount.