|
True Story of Double Log Cabin
More Interesting Than Fables
This is copied here with permission from The
Weatherford Democrat, July 23, 1956 issue.
Perhaps a thousand or more of the newer citizens of Weatherford
and Parker County do not know the true story of our famous "Double
Log Cabin" located at Holland's Lake, just southeast of town. The
writer discovered that some of the newer residents understood that
the double room cabin was the first built as such, and on the resent
location, and withstood an Indian raid there.
The true story is more interesting than the above supposition,
though it was a case of "moving history," so to speak. This interesting
monument to Parker County history was arranged by the late G.A.
Holland, a former mayor and outstanding citizen of Weatherford,
and a man equally interested in present and future progress, and
in preserving the history of our county. Mr. Holland explains
the cabins in his popular history of the county, which he titled "The
Double Log Cabin," one edition being published in 1931.
The Double Log Cabin at Holland's Lake is actually two of the
most famous single log cabins that figured in Parker County history,
which were purchased and moved from their original sites after the
logs had been numbered, and were rebuilt at the lake just as they
were before - except joined with an overhead roof with a hall or
walk-way between, as the early double log cabins were made. In the
early history of Texas and around the time when Parker County was
organized, the double log cabin- two log rooms with covered walk-way
between-was the finest type of homestead. Only a few existed, and
owning one was the sign of wealth and distinction.
One cabin is the Bumgarner log home, 20 by 20 feet, where George
McCleskey was killed by Indians. This was built in the northwest
part of Parker County, near Ballew Springs, on the state granted
to Jacob A. Whitten in 1859. The land was sold to H.R. Moss in 1860,
who built the cabin on it. John Bumgarner later bought it. In August
of 1873 his son-in-law, George McCleskey, spent the night there
so the two men could get an early start the next morning to move
some stock. As they saddled their horses the next morning, one or
more Indians slipped up near, behind concealments, and opened fire,
hitting the son-in-law.
Bumgarner pulled the wounded man inside the cabin, where they
returned the gun fire and drove the Indians away. McClesky died
a few minutes later. Many bullet holes can be seen in the walls
of the cabin. Years later, Mr. Holland bought this cabin from Warren
McClesky, brother of the man slain there, and had it moved to the
present location as a meeting place for the annual Reunion of Parker
County Settlers.
The other room of the double log cabin at the lake was the headquarters
of the Dan Waggoner, or Muleshoe Ranch. Mr. Holland wrote elsewhere
in his book that Dan Waggoner and a Mr. Brogden came to this county
in 1855 and founded a ranch in the spring Creek section, which had
just been settled by J.T. Shaw. The Citizens National Bank of Weatherford,
the pioneer bank of North Texas, in operation since 1868, bought
the Waggoner Ranch log cabin from a Miss Lena Walden, for the use
of the settler's reunion. The logs were numbered so the cabin could
be rebuilt just as it first was, and it was connected to the Bumgarner
house to make the distinctive double log cabin of the pioneer era.
For years, before the city and county turned to concentrating
on the war effort, the Double Log Cabin at Holland's Lake was maintained
as a museum, and contained many interesting historical items, such
as stones from the Isaac Parker home which were used in the chimmeys
in each room of the double cabin here. There were also guns used
in county indian fights, and in the Civil War, Indian relics and
pioneer furniture.
This page was updated on November 9, 1999
|
