Man buys, rebuilds 1880s log cabin as guest cottage

Stan Wills was one of the two gentlemen who came to Reiman Park in Odessa to demonstrate Colonial era clothing and other items, including muskets and coins.

Stan Wills, age 60, recently took on a summer project. Half way between Sprague and Harrington on Hwy 23 there stood an old log cabin. The roof had fallen in, and it was about to be torn down and burned. Stan approached the current land owner and asked if he could have it. The land owner agreed, and the project began.

With the help of a 16-year-old boy visiting from another state, they disassembled the cabin, a log at a time. They loaded the logs on a trailer and hauled them to Stan’s place to reassemble the cabin.

Some logs were not salvageable, but most were, and 36 logs were reused. The longest was 24 feet and weighed over 200 pounds. Stan found some old telephone poles to replace the bad logs. Using mostly hand tools, a one man buck saw, a chisel and hammer to make the notches, they had the walls up in two weeks. Now came the roof. As the cabin began to take shape the neighbors provided any materials they might need. Old barn wood and sheet metal were given, free if they would come and haul it away. Stan never turns down anything free. They now had enough materials to finish the roof. The 16-year-old had to return home, so Stan finished it by himself. He completed the cabin in two weeks for under $500.

Now it was time to do the research on the origin of the cabin. Stan found out the cabin was originally built by the Timm Family around 1882-1885. The cabin was built by Fred Timm who immigrated from Germany around 1869. It was used as a staging area for the freight business that Fred ran between Sprague and Harrington. Horses and grain were staged there.

Fred built a home there and married and raised his kids there. In the winter of 1887-88 all the livestock froze to death. That spring Fred moved to Garfield, he later died and is buried there.

In the early 1900s the cabin was used by immigrants traveling on the way to Harrington from Sprague. It became known as the “hobo cabin.” Eventually it was only used for storage, until it was finally abandoned. It remained abandoned for many years until Stan savaged it.

Since being rebuilt, the cabin has had several of the descendants of the early Fred Timm family come to see it. They are amazed that their relatives lived in it. To date, over 30 people have come and stayed overnight in the cabin on Stan’s property.

Stan is a member of several historic organizations including current President of the Sons of the American Revolution for Eastern Washington. Stan says "When we die, as long as we are remembered, we live forever" Thanks to Stan, this cabin will live a lot longer.