Swedish Log House
Great Hall Exhibitions
Swedish Log House
This one-room log dwelling was originally located on Old State Road Station in New Castle County, Delaware. The structure was built in the late seventeenth or early eighteenth century. Mentioned in the 1720s will of Jasper Yeates, the house was likely standing prior to that date.
This type of house was introduced to America by Swedish and Finnish colonists who settled in 1639 at Fort Christina, now Wilmington, Delaware. The round logs, v-notching, wide spaces between logs, clapboard gables and sharply peaked roof establish this as a Swedish-style structure. Dwellings of this type were prevalent throughout the Delaware River Valley. The waves of westward migration let to the spread of the log buildings across much of America.
The house is constructed of white oak logs which are fitted without benefit of nails or tree nails (pegs). Spaces between the logs are chinked with a mixture of mud, oat hulls, and grass. Resting on a stone foundation, the building originally had a crawl space between the floor and earth. The shelf was used as sleeping quarters for children or as storage space. The brick chimney and fireplace were influenced by English design.
