ORIGIONAL LOCATION:   DOLA, WV  around 50 feet off of County Rt 20 (Harrison County)

ESTIMATED AGE:  1860 (estimated pending verification)

DONATED BY: Becky & Rader Nay

SIZE   19 feet deep x 21.5 wide

HISTORY:  The original owner of this cabin is  purported to be from Philadelphia. He came to this area of Virginia with an ownership of 600+ acres. This man is buried in a cemetery in the Dola area and believed to have fought in the revolutionary war. We have verified that the house was moved once and possibly twice (once for the railroad rail location and again for Rt 20’s construction).  The log house was hidden inside a “farm house.”  By its roof line pitch change, chimney extension, and top log architecture, the structure was increased in height at DOLA location.  The first floor had two rooms.  The second floor was one “loft” room that was created by the aforementioned extensions. There was no fireplace opening in that second floor.

We transferred it to our campus in the fall of 2022.  The reconstruction process began in the spring of 2023.  Currently we have the following done:

• foundation
• exterior calls
• floor girders and joists
• roof tresses

We have started the daubing process between the logs.  Coming up next will be the application of the shake shingle roofing.

Resuming in the spring 2024 will be:

• adding the front porch;
• building doors and windows;
• connecting electric service including an exterior lamppost and parking lot flood light:
• installing a cast iron wood stove;
• finishing the chinking and daubing; and
• building a walkway to the porch.

Once restored The Bennett Cabin will be interpreted as the Fort New Salem Wood Shop. a It will be a one floor structure with a “cathedral” ceiling architecture and have a half loft suitable for storage.