These U.S. Presidents Were Born in Log Cabins
- Written by
- On Friday, February 17, 2023
Abraham Lincoln's boyhood home at Knob Creek, Kentucky
To say log cabins are a longstanding architectural staple would be an understatement. Most historians agree that the first log cabins in the U.S. were constructed in the mid-17th century. Initially primarily used as temporary and utilitarian structures, like barns and chicken coops, this iconic log cabin style has evolved considerably over the last few centuries into permanent and vacation dwellings enjoyed by all kinds of people.
In fact, at least nine U.S. presidents were born in log cabins, solidifying the style as a true staple of American architecture. Check 'em out below.
Andrew Jackson
The country’s seventh president, Andrew Jackson was also the first U.S. president to be born in a log cabin. The cabin was located in South Carolina on the Crawford Plantation and brought Jackson into the world in 1787.
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James K. Polk
In 1795, the 11th president of the U.S., James K. Polk, was born in a log cabin on his family’s North Carolina farm. Polk was the first of his parents’ 10 children to be born in the cabin, and you can find a reconstruction of their shared dwelling on its original site today.
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Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor, the country’s 12th president, made his debut into the world in a log cabin in 1784. The cabin was located on the Montebello Plantation in Virginia, a site that’s now under private ownership but still features a marker designating its historical significance.
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Millard Fillmore
Next up is Millard Fillmore, the 13th U.S. president, who was born in a Moravia, New York, log cabin at the turn of the century in 1800. While the original cabin was deconstructed in 1852, you can find an exact replica of it at the Fillmore Glen State Park in New York.
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Franklin Pierce
In 1804, the country’s 14th president, Franklin Pierce, was born in a New Hampshire log cabin. Pierce’s father purchased the cabin along with 50 acres of land in Hillsborough shortly after the American Revolutionary War.
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James Buchanan
James Buchanan entered the world in 1791 from within the confines of a Pennsylvania log cabin. Today, the site of the 15th U.S. president’s birthplace is now a state park that features a memorial pyramid comprised of stone, symbolizing the original cabin.
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Abraham Lincoln
When most people think of log cabins and presidents, Abraham Lincoln comes to mind. In 1809, the country’s 16th president was born in a log cabin on the Sinking Spring Farm in Kentucky, where he and his family lived for two years before moving to the Knob Creek Farm in 1811.
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Ulysses S. Grant
In 1822, Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th U.S. president, was born in a log cabin in Point Pleasant, Ohio. The original cabin has since been demolished, but if you head to the site today, you’ll find a replica of the three-room structure.
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James Garfield
The last U.S. president to be born in a log cabin is James Garfield. Born in 1831, Garfield remained in the Ohio cabin with his family until 1859. While the dwelling was destroyed long ago, the site currently hosts a replica of the original cabin.
Love the homespun charm of log homes? Then check out our curated list of log cabins for sale across the country.
