C. A. Nothnagle Log House

Nothnagle, C. A., Log House
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
New Jersey Register of Historic Places
Location:	Swedesboro-Paulsboro Road, Gibbstown, New Jersey
Coordinates:	39°49′5″N 75°15′59″W / 39.81806°N 75.26639°W / 39.81806; -75.26639Coordinates: 39°49′5″N 75°15′59″W / 39.81806°N 75.26639°W / 39.81806; -75.26639
Area:	1.5 acres (0.61 ha)
Built:	1685[citation needed]
Governing body:	Private
NRHP Reference#:	76001153[1]
NJRHP #:	1385[2]
Significant dates
Added to NRHP:	April 23, 1976
Designated NJRHP:	January 14, 1972

C. A. Nothnagle Log House (also known as Braman-Nothnagle Log House) is a historic house on Swedesboro-Paulsboro Road in Gibbstown, New Jersey, near Swedesboro, that is one of the oldest surviving log houses in the United States.^[3][4]

The oldest part of the house was built around sometime between 1638 and 1643 by Finnish or Swedish settlers in the New Sweden colony, and Scandinavian ironware from the 1590s is still extant around the fireplace. The fireplace, probably built of bricks brought over to North America as ship's ballast, is asymmetric and placed in a corner of the cabin.

The original cabin measures 16 by 22 feet, which indicates that the builders were relatively well off; an average sized dwelling of the period was 12 by 12 feet. It is built of oak logs, and two logs were removable to provide ventilation in the summer. The logs were double dovetailed to provide a close fit, and gravel was pounded between the chinks in the logs. No nails were used in the original construction; hardwood pegs were used as fasteners. There's no ridgepole used in the roof. People lived in this part of the house until 1918.^[5]

A large addition to the original cabin was constructed in the early 18th century. A wooden floor was built over the original dirt floor around 1730. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and is still privately owned. The cabin is opened for tours by appointment through the current owners, Harry and Doris Rink, who reside in the adjoining structure.^[5]

See also

• List of the oldest buildings in New Jersey
• List of the oldest buildings in the United States
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Gloucester County, New Jersey

References

1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2009-03-13. http://nrhp.focus.nps.gov/natreg/docs/All_Data.html. 
2. ^ "New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places - Gloucester County". NJ DEP - Historic Preservation Office. April 1, 2010. p. 2. http://www.state.nj.us/dep/hpo/1identify/lists/gloucester.pdf. Retrieved July 6, 2010. 
3. ^ "Nothnagle Log Cabin, Gibbstown". Art and Archtitecture of New Jersey. Richard Stokton College of New Jersey. http://www.ettc.net/njarts/details.cfm?ID=752. Retrieved 2011-05-24. 
4. ^ http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM4CDW_OLDEST_Log_House_in_North_America
5. ^ ^{a b} Karen Demasters, ON THE MAP; This Old House Is Really Old, April 23, 2000 http://www.nytimes.com/2000/04/23/nyregion/on-the-map-this-old-house-is-really-old.html

External links

• Nothnagle Log Cabin

Cabin and later addition