Historical building to get update

The Gary Log House at the Auglaize County Fairgrounds was built in 1850

The Gary Log House, built in 1850, is getting a bit of a facelift thanks to a $25,000 gift from the Auglaize County Board of Commissioners.

The log cabin, part of the Auglaize County Historical Society’s portfolio, has been located on the county fairgrounds for about 40 years. Each year during the fair, the society plans programming to encourage visitors to tour what a typical log home from the early days of the county was like.

Society Trustee Mark Kinstle met with the commissioners at the cabin on Tuesday to tour the improvements being made by

Midwest Maintenance Inc. of Piqua.

Kinstle said some of the beams used to replace rotting logs on the first floor were located from a property in New Knoxville. Repairs were also made to the building’s foundation due to how the building was settling. Kintsle said the repairs were a priority after all of the historical society buildings were reviewed for improvement.

The rate of decay, coupled with the historical value, prompted trustees to move quickly with the refurbishment, Kinstle said. He was pleased with the work and knowledge of the Midwest Maintenance crew.

Commissioner Doug Spencer said that because the building sits on county property, they wanted to be a part of the repair process.

Historical Society Director Rachel Barber said the organization’s fundraising drive is on pause during the winter months, but they are always willing to accept donations to help preserve the county’s history.

The goal has been to raise $75,000 in funds to make repairs and improvements to the Wapakoneta Museum, the Mooney Museum in St. Marys and the Olive Branch Church in New Knoxville.

Barber said that since the repairs were made, they plan to hold more programming at the Gary Log House beyond just the yearly Auglaize County Fair.