Log Cabin Repair & Restoration Workshop

We are always looking for opportunities to learn more about the processes and techniques used to preserve our historic structure. So when we heard that the Historic Arkansas Museum was hosting a workshop on log cabin repair and restoration, we gassed up Red Rover (our passenger van) and hit the road.

Our Executive Director, Rolf Hagberg, “Captain” of Operations, Rhea Harvey, and 2016 Crew Leader, Dylan Klein, took a road trip to Little Rock, Arkansas to attended a Log Cabin Restoration and Repair workshop at the Historic Arkansas Museum. Dylan put together a sample of the 15-hour-road trip soundtrack for your enjoyment. Visualize sitting in the backseat of our plush carrier van, the smell of fast-food in the air.

The workshop was presented by ‘Log Doc’ Joe Gallagher with Heritage Preservation Resources. There were 15 participants, people representing Arkansas State Parks, the U.S. Forest Service and individuals with private log cabins. Our time was spent in the classroom learning about best practices; Joe shared a tremendous list of resources and techniques. A portion of the training was spent on building evaluation techniques and planning. We examined the Historic Arkansas Museum’s Log Cabin exhibits and visited the Scott Plantation in Scott, AR.

We built some great relationships with potential project hosts, and we will be working with Joe as a technical specialist. It was time well spent as we fostered an understanding of the vast number of structures in need of maintenance and repair, and gained valuable knowledge on how to further preserve log cabins.