Years ago my Sis and I used to take lovely drives, exploring the countryside round about where I lived. On this day we happened upon this old cabin on the side of the road, and stopped to document it before it decayed into dust. It was situated on a road called Dry Hollow, a most appropriate name, for the place was dry and dusty and miles from nowhere. The cabin, sadly, was being used by the ranch owner for rusty old fence wire storage, and had not been kept up, but allowed to fall into a sad state of decay. We could not get as close as we would have liked, for it stood in a pasture, just inside a stout barbed-wire fence, and we had no wish to trespass, or rip our clothing on the sharp barbs.
My Sis and I both loved photography and could spend endless hours in pursuit of subjects to that end. We felt ourselves very fortunate that day to find this cabin, before the sun had set on its final days. Many of these old cabins have been burned, to clean up the pastures, or have not survived wildfires, and seldom now are seen. That we came suddenly upon this one in the middle of nowhere, was a surprise and a delight. I hope you enjoy these pictures of the old cabin, a small reminder of those early pioneer days in the West.
You can see in the pictures that some of the logs retain the original tool marks where the builders hand worked the logs. I wish I knew the date of when this was built and who it was for?! Was it a cabin for an early pioneer or one built for the sheep herders who came later? I guess we may never know.
The corner joints are still stacked tight in some places, and clearly were cut to fit precisely when it was being built. No mean feat. The builders were good at their job. This would have been a snug and well built cabin in its day.
Years of weather have taken their toll, and the old cabin is falling to bits and on its last legs. I doubt if any of the logs are even salvageable at this point. Too much sun, bugs, and dry rot. This area gets very little rain, or it wouldn't have lasted as long as it has.
It is now the home of lizards, and no doubt other critters too. This fellow was having a great time sunning itself on the log and didn't seem to mind our intrusion.
I found the old wood sculpted by time and weather to have a rugged beauty all its own. The textures and grains as beautiful as any ancient tapestries made by man. I did not see any square nails present which dates this cabin to after 1865, and it was probably built closer to the 1890's or even early 1900's? This is a guess on my part, as those more knowledgeable than myself could probably date it better. The round nails could have been added later.
I thought of all the folks who could have passed through this cabins door, and wondered about its story, now lost in time. What kind of life did they lead way out here in the back of beyond? Was it a lonely rancher, or did he have his wife and family there too?
As I stood thinking deep thoughts about this cabins possible past, suddenly a very modern cow walked by, breaking my reverie. So of course I couldn't help snapping its picture. Yet another reason to stay on the road side of the fence. I always keep a safe distance from cows when out rambling, as you never know their temperament.
So many years have come and gone since my Sis and I went on this drive in 2008. I wonder if the old cabin is still there? I like to think that it is holding its own and hasn't completely faded into dust. I have such dear memories of those lovely jaunts, and am so glad to have had that day in the sunshine to look back upon, and so glad too that we took the time to stop and take pictures.
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