Cunningham Cabin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Cunningham Cabin
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 Location in Wyoming
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Moose, Wyoming |
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| Built | 1885 |
| MPS | Grand Teton National Park MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 73000225 |
| Added to NRHP | October 2, 1973 |
The Cunningham Cabin is a historic log cabin located in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. It was built as a homestead, which is a family farm or ranch. This cabin shows how building styles from the Appalachian Mountains were used in the American West.
John Pierce Cunningham built the cabin in 1885. He arrived in Jackson Hole that year. At first, he worked as a trapper. In 1888, he started his own place, called the Bar Flying U Ranch. The Cunningham family moved away to Idaho in 1928. This was when land was being bought for the future Grand Teton National Park.
The Cunninghams were busy ranchers. John and his wife grew about 100 acres (40 hectares) of hay. Later, they added irrigation to grow another 140 acres (57 hectares) of hay. This hay fed their 100 cattle and eight horses. John's brother, W. Pierce Cunningham, also lived nearby with his family. By 1924, the Cunningham ranch covered 560 acres (227 hectares). A few years later, in 1926, they changed from raising cattle to raising sheep.
John Pierce Cunningham was an important person in the community. When Teton County was formed in 1923, he was one of the first county commissioners. He also served as a justice of the peace, a postmaster, and a game warden at different times.
After 1895, the Cunninghams built a bigger, more comfortable house. They then used the original cabin for other things. It became a barn or a place to work with metal (a smithy). In 1895, a small fort was built nearby. This was during a time of unrest with the Bannack Indians. You can still see traces of these old foundations today.
A Mysterious Event at the Ranch
In the fall of 1892, two wranglers (cowboys) from Montana visited Cunningham. They wanted to buy hay. Cunningham allowed these strangers to stay on his ranch for the winter. Soon, rumors started that the men might be horse thieves.
The next spring, a man arrived in Jackson from Idaho. He claimed to be a U.S. Marshal and had three deputies with him. Local people from Jackson joined them. The marshal's group surrounded the ranch at night. In the morning, the alleged thieves were shot. It was never fully proven if the men were truly guilty. Also, the identity of the marshal was never officially confirmed. This event remains a part of the ranch's history.
What the Cabin Looks Like
The Cunningham Cabin is a special type of building. It has a sod roof, meaning the roof is covered with grass and soil. It's built in a "double-pen" or "dog-trot" style. This means it has two rooms with an open space in the middle, called a breezeway or "dog-trot." This building style came from the Appalachian Mountains.
The cabin was built without using any nails or metal fasteners. It was carefully put back together in 1956. Workers replaced the bottom logs and rebuilt the roof. The logs fit together with special "saddle-V-notches" at the corners.
The cabin area covers about 10 acres (4 hectares). This includes the cabin itself, the spot where the 1890 house stood, the fort site, and places where a barn and bunkhouse used to be. There are also pits that might have been old wells or outhouses. The cabin is about 41.5 feet (12.6 meters) long and 15.25 feet (4.6 meters) wide. Both rooms open into the breezeway. Each room has two windows that face northeast and southwest. The room on the south side was where the family lived. The room on the north side was used as a forge for metalwork.
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A view looking through the cabin's breezeway.
