Georgia

Bryson Cabin, Georgia, (now at Callaway Plantation, near Washington, Wilkes County, Georgia)

Primary Phase of Cabin         Felling Dates: Undated

The Bryson Log Cabin, better and more accurately known as the Heard Log House, stands now at Callaway Plantation, in Wilkes County, Georgia. It was moved there from further east in Wilkes County and represents what is thought to have been the earliest dwelling of settlers to the region. It was originally built on Mark Heard’s land, hence its alternate name, and traditionally dated 1785, near the beginning of extensive settlement in the region. Unfortunately, dendrochronology did not work on the structure, so its date remains a mystery. However, it is very similar to both the Baber Log House and the Beggs Log House, which dendrochronology dated, respectively, at 1790 and 1794; a date about that time is likely.

The house indeed has features characteristic of an early structure: half-dovetailed log construction; one room, probably originally with the only openings doors front and rear; stone chimney and fireplace with a segmental arched opening; rear porch set on grade; very low foundation, beaded second floor joists hand hewn and/or pit sawn, board and batten doors, clay chinking hence probably no clapboards originally, rafters hand hewn or pit sawn. (Mark Reinberger)

Worthington, M J and Seiter, J I 2018 “The Tree-Ring Dating of Ten Vernacular Buildings in Northeastern Georgia”, unpublished Oxford Tree-Ring Laboratory archive report 2018/05

Oxford

Tree-Ring

Laboratory

The Oxford Tree-Ring Laboratory provides cutting-edge commercial dendrochronological services to homeowners, architectural historians, and cultural resource managers. READ MORE

Contact Information

Oxford Tree-Ring Laboratory

25 E. Montgomery St.
Baltimore, MD 21230

410-929-1520