Friends of the Log Cabins Fund

On the Mississippi River’s Quinsippi Island stands a group of 1800s, Lincoln-era log structures, including three cabins, a corn crib, a stone smoke house and a log church.

In 2007, a group of citizens noticed that the cabins were in need of attention and formed the Friends of the Log Cabins to “restore, preserve and utilize” these historic structures for current and future generations to enjoy. Upon the group’s formation, they hired a professional restorer to assess the structures. He recommended that they be disassembled, restored, and reassembled on newly-built foundations. To raise the needed money, Friends of the Log Cabins obtained 501(c)3 nonprofit status and have since fully restored one cabin while another is in process.

John and Betty Gebhardt are passionate about the Friends of the Log Cabins’ mission, with John serving as Board President and Betty as Board Secretary. In order to secure a permanent source of income for Friends of the Log Cabins, which will help pay for a part-time curator for the structures, John and Betty established the Friends of the Log Cabins Fund with the Community Foundation. The fund will provide an annual source of income to help fulfill Friends of the Log Cabins’ mission and tell the story of the cabins now and for generations to come.

To learn more about the Friends of the Log Cabins and the Lincoln-era Log Cabin Village, visit their website at: www.logcabinvillagequincyil.com.