COBb Landmarks ANnounces Campaign to Save Power-Jackson Cabin

​The Power-Jackson Cabin currently stands on private property on Post Oak Tritt Road in the eastern part of Cobb County. It is one of the last examples of a single-pen (one-room) log house remaining in Cobb County. The cabin was owned by William Power and was given to his daughter, Martha Jane, and her husband, Jeptha C. Jackson, between 1840 and 1850. Evidence suggests the cabin pre-dates the Cherokee Land Lottery, which could make it the oldest existing structure in Cobb County. Volunteer researchers are currently reviewing 1834 property claims in an attempt to identify the original owner.

In addition to possibly being the oldest structure remaining in Cobb County, the cabin is also a rare example of what is referred to as a rived log house. With rived logs, the logs are not hewn. Instead, the logs are split, leaving the rounded surface on the exterior and a smooth flat surface on the interior. This type of construction was used with large trees so that each tree produced two logs. It is a rare type of construction which makes the Power-Jackson Cabin truly unique.

Today the cabin is threatened by both prolonged neglect and site development. Cobb Landmarks & Historical Society, Inc. (Cobb Landmarks) has for many years advocated for the long-term preservation of the cabin. Recent efforts have included meeting with Cobb County Commissioners, speaking at Cobb County Planning Commission Zoning Hearings, and helping arrange for acclaimed log cabin expert Vic Hood to evaluate the cabin. The purpose of Hood’s visit was to determine if the cabin could be saved and the scope of work a restoration project might entail. Hood determined the cabin is still salvageable, but that time is running out.
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Cobb Landmarks has recently been in conversation with the cabin owner, Cobb County, and the Cobb County Historic Preservation Planner about relocating the cabin to Hyde Farm Park. The park is located roughly six miles away from the current location of the cabin. Hyde Farm presents a wonderful opportunity for a number of reasons, including the presence of two additional Power family cabins.

Hyde Farm was originally settled by James Cooper Power during the 1830s. His cabin still stands, though it is now concealed inside the Hyde farmhouse, which was constructed around the cabin during the 1920s. Hyde Farm is owned by Cobb County. The historic structures on the site have been meticulously restored using Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) funds and the property is open to the public as a passive park. Adjacent to Hyde Farm is another historic property with a Power family cabin. This property includes a cabin believed to have been built by George Abner Power about 1843. Power family descendants owned the property until 1996, when it was conveyed to the Trust for Public Land. The cabin and 2.5 acres of land were donated to Cobb Landmarks in 1999. Cobb Landmarks maintains the cabin and organizes tours of the property. Having the Power-Jackson Cabin join her sibling cabins at Hyde Farm creates a unique opportunity for the public to view three pioneer log cabins that, at one time, all belonged to members of the same family.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, Cobb County PARKS has had discussions with the district commissioner to possibly use Hyde Farm 2016 SPLOST funding to restore the cabin, with Board of Commissioners approval. Commissioner Jerica Richardson believes this to be a worthwhile investment to the community. With approval of restoration, Cobb PARKS would be responsible for maintaining the cabin in perpetuity. Private funds must be raised to pay for the disassembly, tagging, and relocation of the logs, but once the cabin is transferred to Cobb County PARKS, SPLOST funds could be used to reconstruct and restore the cabin. The cost to relocate the cabin is roughly $65,000 and the cost to restore the cabin is roughly $300,000. This partnership between Cobb Landmarks and Cobb County PARKS represents a meaningful and significant investment in the preservation of local history and offers a path for the rescue and protection of the Power-Jackson Cabin. 

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