Local News
Thirty-Five-Year-Old Log Cabin
By Douglas H. Domedion
The revamped log cabin.
You don’t see many buildings put together the old fashion way like this one, but in 1974 the Orleans County Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs decided to do it. The place would be the Orleans County Fairgrounds. The idea was to provide a building that could be used for conservation projects and meetings. It was to be built just like they did in the “old days,” from rough logs.
William Pask put in the footers and the cement was poured. Oliver Meddaugh, then the manager of the DEC’s Oak Orchard Wildlife Management Area, marked the pine trees on Oak Orchard WMA that could be taken to build the cabin. The logs were cut and hauled to Edward Egoff’s sawmill in the Town of Barre, cut and shaped for the various pieces needed.
There was a short break in the project but in 1976 the work began in earnest. The work crews from the Sportsmen’s Federation, the Orleans County Bicentennial Committee and the Cooperative Extension completed the construction. Abram Beckworth from Waterport engineered the fireplace that was build from local field stone with the help of Joe Prescott and Don “Cookie” Cook.
Many others contributed much time, materials and money to the project and by the end of July the “Log Cabin” was finished. Ray Callard of Ridgeway made a beautiful rustic sign that read “Orleans County Conservation Education” that still exists on the outside. On Aug. 4, 1976, the “Log Cabin” dedication took place during the Orleans County Junior Fair.
Since that day there have been untold numbers of meetings and projects held under its roof.
However time has taken its toll on the building even with the Sportsmen’s Federation pulling constant maintenance over the years. When the roof got bad they replaced it with a new metal one, but many of the logs had been rotting away and something had to be done.
The Federation decided to revamp the building with Mike Elam leading the project with the help of Mike Kelly, Bob Fox, Paul Wendt and Gary Kent.
Even with the free labor provided by members of the Federation the costs ran into the thousands of dollars. The Federation provided the funds but this year the Orleans County Legislation also provided funds. Financially it was not fesible to do the repairs with real logs and so artifical “logs” were used but it turned out to look great.
Four years ago the south side (back of the cabin) was replaced and in 2012 the west end was done. This year the east end was replaced and a new rail fence was put in place in the front and sides. The front of the cabin has held up the best but eventually that will probably be needed to be reworked too.
As mentioned above, Mike Elam has been the leader of this restoration of the Log Cabin ever since 2010 and has put a tremendous amount of time and labor into it. This past Tuesday at its monthly meeting the Orleans County Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs honored Mike with a plaque and a gift certificate for all his work on the Log Cabin and his dedication to the Federation in many other matters over the years. Mike Kelly, for all the hours he has helped with this project from day one, will also be receiving a gift certificate.
The hunting license issuing problems I mentioned at the end of August seem to have been fixed now as well as the issuing of Deer Management Permits. I went to our Shelby Town Hall this last week and got my licenses and permits just fine.
I have been hearing some shooting for the early Canada goose going on around the Shelby area but it has been nothing like back ten years ago. In fact I recently spotted about thirty geese feeding in a crop field only about 30 yards off the road, something you usually don’t see if they are being pressured by hunters. It may be that these resident geese will continue to be a problem in the future if hunters lose interest it this type of hunting and fail to keep the birds in check.
There are still a few hummingbirds around my feeders at home and camp but most have left on their journey South for the winter. They will be missed but their return next May will give us something to look forward to during the winter.