Historic Cabins of the Village
Kinmundy Log Cabin Village preserves a collection of historic log structures moved from communities throughout south-central Illinois. Each cabin has its own story, reflecting the families, trades, faith, and daily life of the people who once called these buildings home.
Browse the cabins below to learn more about their history, view historic photographs, and follow preservation and maintenance updates.
Cabin Directory
Anderson Cabin
Built in the 1850s and originally located eight miles southeast of Kinmundy, the Anderson Cabin was used by a cobbler and was one of only two cabins found without a fireplace.
Jacob's Well Stagecoach Inn
Built in 1828 along the old Egyptian Trail, Jacob’s Well served as a stagecoach stop and inn for travelers passing through Illinois. Local stories connect the inn with notable visitors and events from the stagecoach era.
Doolen Cabin
Built around 1860, the Doolen Cabin was home to Benjamin and Laura Ann Doolen and their growing family. Benjamin later served in the Union Army with Company D of the 111th Illinois Infantry during the Civil War.
Robb Cabin
Originally located eight miles northwest of Kinmundy, the Robb Cabin was home to F.M. and Julia Robb and their growing family during the late 1800s.
Davidson Cabin
Built in the 1830s near Vandalia, Illinois, the Davidson Cabin was later weatherboarded and expanded with a lean-to kitchen. Local tradition connects the home with early Illinois political history and visits from Abraham Lincoln.
Millican Cabin
Built in the 1840s by Alexander and Clementine Millican, the Millican Cabin originally stood about one mile east of Omega and reflects the story of a family that migrated west and settled in Illinois.
Stein Cabin
Built around 1840, the Stein Cabin was hidden for many years beneath the siding and plaster of a two-story house near Shattuc Road in Clinton County. Its original log construction was discovered only after demolition had begun, leading to its preservation at Kinmundy Log Cabin Village.
Lester Cabin (Dr’s Cabin)
Built around 1835 near the small community of Lester, west of Kinmundy, the Lester Cabin reflects everyday rural life in the early 19th century. It is also remembered for its unusual reconstruction at the Village, which earned it the nickname “the backwards cabin.”
Schwarm Cabin
Built in the late 1840s by John and Barbara Schwarm, the Schwarm Cabin stood near Hickory Creek and the Old Loogootee Cemetery. Before local churches were built, the Schwarm family opened their home to neighbors for worship, making the cabin an important part of the area’s early religious life.
Strullmyer Cabin
The Strullmyer Cabin was originally built west of St. Peter, Illinois around 1828. It was sold to Herman Strickler of Loogootee, Illinois.
In 1869, Wilhelm H. Strullmeyer (December 25, 1827-June 30, 1908) and his wife Wilhemena (August 12, 1831-May 5, 1896) arrived in the United States from Prussia, Germany with a 6 year old son, William H. They first settled in Washington County, Illinois and later moved to Marion County between Kinmundy and Farina believed to be the present home of Maxine Loy.
In 1903, William Strullmyer (January 23, 1863-February 27, 1950) and his wife Bertha L. Runge Strullmyer (September 20, 1861-April 25, 1933) moved into a log cabin believed to have been moved to their farm from a prior location in LaClede Township, Fayette County, Illinois. In this cabin they raised three sons, Albert, Edward and Otto and a foster daughter Vera. (William Strullmyer had dropped one “e” out of Strullmeyer which accounts for the difference in spellings)
In 1968, Ivan and Willard Strullmyer, grandsons of the original Strullmeyer sold the cabin to the Ingrams where it was re-located to its current home in Kinmundy Log Cabin Village.
In a cabin such as this, any small window meant there was an enclosed stairway to the upstairs.
Preacher/Wagoner Cabin
The preacher’s cabin was located near Forbes Lake. It was built for a circuit rider of the Methodist faith. The second preacher was a Wagoner. He also ran a sorghum mill. Preacher Wagoner added a leanto for a kitchen but this addition was not replaced since it was not part of the original cabin. The third preacher was Reverend Miller.
Russell Wagoner moved into this home with his father, mother and older brother as a small child of two years in 1939. Russell, nicknamed Cotton, lived here a short time. The cabin had belonged to his great grandfather, Steven Jacob Wagoner
Erma Ingram purchased the log cabin when the Forbes Lake was being built.
Stevenson Cabin
The Stevenson Cabin was moved from a few miles South of Decatur, Illinois.
If anyone has information concerning this cabin, please contact the Historical Society.