Long before Butler County’s towns took shape, life on the frontier was defined by what settlers could build with their own hands. These simple structures that once sheltered families now serve as storytellers of Butler County’s earliest days.
Tucked just outside Oxford stands one of the county’s oldest structures: the Zacariah Price DeWitt log home. Built in 1805, the cabin offers a glimpse into a time when the region was still dense wilderness, untouched by organized settlement.
“The DeWitt Log House is the oldest structure still standing in the Oxford area and is also among the oldest structures remaining in the county,” says Brad Spurlock, manager of the Smith Library of Regional History & Cummins Local History Room.
Constructed from logs cut from surrounding trees, the DeWitt home reflects both ingenuity and necessity.
“It is an example of the type of frontier home lived in by Butler County’s earliest pioneers,” Spurlock shares. “Log houses of this nature were typically built from trees felled and hewn on or near the site of where they were constructed.”
Using a crude tool fastened to a chain and pulled by a horse, Zacariah Price DeWitt split logs before stacking them carefully, sealing gaps with clay taken from a nearby river. Five windows and a front door faced the harshest weather, while the rear of the home featured only two windows and a secondary door—an early attempt at insulation during Ohio winters.
At the time, the landscape around the cabin was alive with wildlife. Deer, elk, wild turkeys and even bears roamed freely through the surrounding forest.
Today, a short walk from State Route 73 leads visitors to the site. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, interns from the Oxford Museum Association help visitors step into early settler life through first-person interpretation.
“A visit to the cabin allows visitors to imagine what life was like when the area was first occupied by American settlers, as well as how life changed for the original inhabitants of the cabin and subsequent generations,” says Ross G. Shaw, executive director of the Oxford Museum Association.
Across Butler County, other preserved cabins are available to visit.
In West Chester Township, the Keehner Park Cabin in the Clearing welcomes visitors twice a year during seasonal events. Originally built in 1833 in Preble County, the structure was relocated and restored through community efforts.
The Gregory Log Cabin at Dudley Woods Park in Liberty Township stands as a reminder of early settlement. Once located along Gregory Creek, the cabin has been reconstructed and preserved, complete with its original stone chimney.
In Hamilton, the Monument Cabin stands near the bank of the Great Miami River on the historic grounds of Fort Hamilton. Dating back to the early 1800s, the cabin is furnished with artifacts from the pioneer era and opens periodically for tours and special events.
About This Series
West Chester + Liberty Lifestyle celebrates America250 with stories featuring stops on the Time Travel Trail, sponsored by Travel Butler County. These historic sites highlight the important role Butler County played in the settling of Ohio and the United States. TravelButlerCounty.com
"A visit to the cabin allows visitors to imagine what life was like when the area was first occupied by American settlers." -Ross G. Shaw