This Revolutionary War Era Log Home Has Been Hiding In Plain Sight in Washingtonville

In Washingtonville this week, a  two story log cabin thought to be more than 200 years old was discovered hiding inside the old bar and apartments at 1014 Water Street.

Could this be the old fort?  J. H. Battle, in his 1887 History of Columbia and Montour Counties wrote,   "There is some dispute now as to where the old fort or bloc-house stood.  Some think it stood in the valley just across the creek from the borough, while others contend it stood just back of front street, between Church and Water Streets."

The old bar, once known as KCs Corner, also contained apartments.  Most recently it was used for storage. The building  stood on the corner of Front and Water streets, but had been condemned and was being torn down by Fares Farhat General Construction  this month.  No one knew a 200 year old log cabin hid inside. 

According to the towns mayor, Tyler Dombroski, the borough knew there were some beams in the back of the old bar room that they wanted to salvage and use for something in the town park, but it wasn't until the contractor started peeling back the additions that the two story cabin was revealed.

The wide beams were cut by ax, and appear to be hickory.  The building is thought to be more than 200 years old, although no date, nor clear history,  has been established at this time

For now, the demolition has temporarily ceased while the borough decides what to do next.

The borough does not own the property, so they cannot choose to simply leave the building stand where it is.Originally the plan was  to knock the structure down,  grade the area and plant it in grass, and then place a lien on the property to recoup the grant money the borough  is spending on the demolition.  

Now the borough is  looking into options to have the cabin torn down carefully, with each board numbered, and rebuilt elsewhere in the borough.  Amish contractor John Lapp will present an option this week, but money will be an issue.The borough plans to ask the Montour commissioners to use the Community Development block grant funds. $72,000 was originally allotted for the demolition, but the demolition bid came in at less than half that cost.  Still, even that may not cover the cost to move the structure properly, and there is  not yet a plan for where he building would be moved.

A similar, but smaller, structure, built about 1790, was moved and saved in Northumberland Pa - https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2020/02/theres-log-cabin-in-northumberland-that.html

The History Of Columbia And Montour Counties, written in 1887 by J.H. Battle, tells us that Washingtonville  is one of the oldest townships and settlements in the county.   The earliest settler in the territory was Mr Brittain.  Other early settlers included Jacob Shultz, in about 1791, and Matthew Calvin, who built the old wood frame mill.  Joseph Hutchinson also settled near Washingtonville "at an early day."

Battle also tells us that " Brady's Fort   (generally printed in the State histories as "Boyle's Fort") was erected toward   the latter part of the Revolutionary war. It was named after the two brothers   Col. Sam. and Hugh Brady, who were prominent soldiers in the war for  independence. "  

Battle further states, "There is some dispute now as to where the old fort or bloc-house stood.  Some think it stood in the valley just across the creek from the borough, while others contend it stood just back of front street, between Church and Water Streets."

An 1860 Map Of Washingtonville 

Identifying the building as McCoy & Son Store

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Progress, as of March 31, 2020

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The New Bosley Cabin At The Montour Delong Fairgrounds

Photos taken during the 2022 construction

"The original two story cabin with hickory beams and hand wrought iron nails was discovered in 2022, when a condemned building was demolished in Washingtonville. A bar and hotel had been built around the cabin structure, hiding it in plain sight.
It's believed that the structure was built in the 1780s, although its exact history is not yet certain."

 
The Montour Delong Fair Association purchased the building for $1. It was taken apart piece by piece, with each board numbered, and stored at the fairgrounds. At this years fair, a team from DoLittle Construction constructed the cabin during the fair week.

The original structure was two stories tall, but some of the logs were unable to be salvaged. As a result, the cabin was reassembled as a one-story building.

The building will be used as s a museum at the fairgrounds ,housing exhibits appropriate to the region in the late 1700s.

The project was funded by a $70,000 state grant, $25,000 from the Columbia-Montour Visitors Bureau, approximately $25,000 from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. An additional $10,000 was raised locally, some of those funds being raised by t-shirt sales at last years fair.

Events Scheduled at the cabin during the The Montour Delong Fair, 2023

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See A large album of photos of the Log Home In Washingtonville here:

https://www.facebook.com/pg/fieldsofheatherblog/photos/?tab=album&album_id=3335748059774652

Read more about the fort at Bosley's Mill here:

https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2020/02/the-fort-at-bosleys-mills-bradys-fort.html

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