Oldest Home in Highland - Adamson's

Although the newest (and oldest) additions to Robinson Park -- two 139-year-old log cabins -- have survived the years, they are on their way to coming back to life.
Robert Hall, great-grandson of Alexander Adamson, an early Utah County settler who built one of the cabins in 1867, is working with the American Fork Historic Preservation Commission to restore his ancestor's cabin.

With the help of donations and volunteers, Hall hopes to finish the restoration within two years. Cost is expected to be about $5,200 to rebuild the cabin's exterior.

"We would like to see families come and look at how people used to live in this community and what conditions they had to deal with," said American Fork Mayor Heber Thompson. "It makes us appreciate what our forbearers sacrificed so we can enjoy the quality of life that we have now."

Both of the one-room cabins, which were recently moved with care to the Main Street city park, are made of wood. The quarters are small, yet it is estimated nearly a dozen people lived in each cabin, squeezed on top of each other, at any one time.

Despite the close quarters, the cabins were considered progressive for their time. One had a rock-walled basement; the other, a loft to make use of ceiling space.

Adamson and his family immigrated to Utah Valley from Scotland in 1861. And lore has it that his Scottish heritage is one of the reasons Adamson bestowed the name Highland on the city north of American Fork.

The Adamson family lived in the log cabin for some time until a two-story Victorian home was built later on the property.

The cabin remained on the property in American Fork, close to the other cabin, which was owned by another relative, until recently when the cabins were under the threat of being bulldozed to make way for new homes.

That's when Hall stepped in. He bought the cabins and donated them to American Fork. With the help of trucks and trailers -- and some good reinforcement so the homes didn't crumble during the trek - - the cabins were transported in January to the park, which also is home to the Daughters of Utah Pioneers museum.

"It's the least we can do for our ancestors -- to preserve what they worked so hard to get and consequently establish what helped to get us all here," Hall said.

Hall and members of the city preservation commission said they are looking for volunteers to donate labor, materials or money to help with the restoration effort.

Dan Adams, a member of the preservation commission, said efforts are under way to put the cabins on the historic register for Utah, which would qualify the homes to receive grants.

According to Adams, most of the restoration work will be done with tools from the period the homes were constructed. Adams said he is also looking for donations of old, weathered logs, cement and plywood sheets, among other things, to help with reconstructing the cabins.

"For the community, as a whole, it benefits them to have something the children would be able to take tours in and go through, and reflect on some of the parts of our history," Adams said. "Those are some of the incentives that help us to try to capture the past and preserve the past."

How to help

Call Dan Adams, a member of the American Fork Historic Preservation Commission, at 801-756-3724 to donate or to volunteer in the cabin-restoration effort.

E-mail: achoate@desnews.com