This log home was built by Rufus Heath, an early settler of the area in the late 1800s. He moved his family from Illinois in 1901 to settle the homestead 6 miles east of Pine River.
Rufus Heath’s son Merle and wife, Laura Schwartz Heath next occupied the log home. Their two children were both born in the log home and resided there until the new house was built in 1927.
Through the years this log building filled many needs. It was used as a barn, as a storage for grain and was left vacant for many years. The building was moved to the Village for preservation and restoration in 1994. It is used for display of logging artifacts, photos and exhibits pertaining to the logging era which played such an important role in the development of Crosslake and the surrounding area. The interior of the home has been furnished as a logging camp as it would have appeared in the 1880s to 1910.
The Crosslake Area Historical Society feels fortunate to have retrieved this wonderful bit of area history and will use it as a teaching aid for future generations.
