Two weeks ago, I wrote about the Wilson Cabin, situated between First and Second Avenues Southeast. A relic of a different age, it stands uninhabited and largely unvisited because of safety concerns, Last week, I had an opportunity to see inside for myself.
The cabin, also called Robinson Cabin because it sits in Robinson Park, is a frontier structure that was moved to the site in 1952, less than a decade after Catawba County celebrated its centennial. Folks had a ‘history mindset’ in those days and sought to preserve the old life in some form before modern America took completely over.
Perched on high ground, the cabin sits on a rise surrounded by what used to be Hickory’s cemetery. Once the town outgrew the cemetery and Oakwood was established, sometime after 1885, the land sat largely untouched, except for some grave removals until the cabin was rebuilt on the site.
Owned and well maintained by the City of Hickory, the cabin now rests, kind of like history does, a constant reminder of the past but largely overlooked, available for those who are intrigued by its story. For everyone else, it’s just another landmark along the way, kind of like a store that sells stuff you no longer want to buy.
Instead of detailing the ‘what we know’ about the cabin, (check the website: focusnewspaper.com/robinson-park-is-closed/), this week I supply some pics of the visit. Caroline Kone, Josh Rice and Mayor Hank Guess accompanied me on the tour. It’s actually a simple dwelling, with up and downstairs fireplaces, like it was when first built around 1820. The only modern conveniences installed at the current site are electric light and a restroom, no doubt added for tourists and school kids. My thanks to them for taking the time to satisfy my curiosity about the place.
Photos: A closer look at the rebuilt exterior of the Wilson cabin, Downstairs, including the fireplace and electric illumination, Mayor Guess leads up the stairway to the second floor, Atop the family eating table, a book and jug
