- The cabin is a chapter from our own ancestral tree. If offers
us a glimpse into our ancestors' hardy
- pioneer family life through its structure and its inhabitants
give us the genealogy of Edgerton’s German immigrants who
once called it home.
- The log cabin is believed to have been on its original location
near the southwest edge of Lake
- Koshkonong about 4 miles from Edgerton, on the Rock and Dane
County line before the Blackhawk Wars. According to Franklin
SCHMELING, the cabin was right across from the Hogsback Indian
Mound, a site replace by I-90. The cabin is one room, about 15’x24’,
with a fireplace for heating and cooking. It was made of hand
hewn logs; the cracks were originally chinked with clay, sand
and rags. A loft and lean-to had been added as the families grew
(according to oral histories).
- Many Edgerton families have traced their history back to
this log cabin. We know that Franklin
- Wm. SCHMELING was born there on August 17, 1879, the son
of Ott SCHMELING (1840-1907). We have KRUCKENBERG family records
that document the births of eight starting with Doris born November
27, 1882 up to the last one George born there in 1894, after
which the family purchased a farm from Mr. COON in the town of
Albion, Dane County, not far from there. It is recorded around
that time the log cabin was moved on a “stone boat”
across the fields about 4 miles to a new location, that became
part of the estate of Wisconsin Supreme Court Judge, Charles
V. BARDEEN, on the north edge of Edgerton, on Victoria Road (now
the corner of hwy 51 and Jacobus Road).
- This estate was later sold to Oscar and Pauline (BORGERT)
JACOBUS in 1889 and named "The
- Borgert." This large house, built about 1865 as the
BARDEEN Homestead, was where Oscar and Pauline lived. Here Pauline
held summer classes after the death of Oscar in 1893 and the
closing of her pottery business on Lawton Street in Edgerton
in the mid 1890s. Sometime before 1902, Pauline had one of the
kilns from Lawtwon Street moved to the log cabin. She continued
her business from there until about 1911 when she sold the homestead
to Dr. KNIGHT and his daughter Anna who had the idea of opening
a sanitarium. Before that was possible, the main house burned
to the ground on July 19, 1911, leaving only the cabin and kiln.
The kiln lasted until it collapsed in the 1970s. The KNIGHTs
built a new home on the lot and lived there until 1949 when Clair
R. MUNNS, a published author, purchased the estate--cabin and
all--restoring it to his desires.
- The house still stands stately on the hill, but the land
has since been purchased for commercial
- development. The log cabin moved by the Arts Council of Edgerton
to prevent its demolition.
- Currently, the foundation and most of the logs are in place
on a beautiful site in Clay Pit Heritage
- Park. The fireplace and chimney are scheduled to be finished
in June. A door, windows and a roof are still needed.
- Unfortunately, we have run out of funds. ACE is asking that
donations of supplies and money be
- sent to the Arts Council of Edgerton, a 501-3C non-profit
organization.
-
- Back to the log cabin's main
page...
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