Slabsides is the

log cabin A log cabin is a small log house, especially a minimally finished or less architecturally sophisticated structure. Log cabins have an ancient history in Europe, and in America are often associated with first-generation home building by settl ...

built by naturalist

John Burroughs John Burroughs (April 3, 1837 – March 29, 1921) was an American naturalist and nature essayist, active in the conservation movement in the United States. The first of his essay collections was ''Wake-Robin'' in 1871. In the words of his bi ...

and his son on a nine-acre (3.6 ha) wooded and hilly tract in 1895 one mile (1.6 km) west of

Riverby Riverby was the estate of the American naturalist John Burroughs (1837–1921), who wrote and created a genre of naturalist essays. It is located above the west bank of the Hudson River, in the town of West Park, in Ulster County, New York. Burr ...

, his home in

West Park, New York West Park is a Hamlet (New York), hamlet on the west side of the Hudson River in the Town of Esopus, New York, Esopus, Ulster County, New York, United States. During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the area became attractive to the ...

. From the time of its construction to the last year of his life, Burroughs received many visitors at the cabin, ranging from

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. (October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), also known as Teddy or T.R., was the 26th president of the United States, serving from 1901 to 1909. Roosevelt previously was involved in New York (state), New York politics, incl ...

and

Henry Ford Henry Ford (July 30, 1863 – April 7, 1947) was an American Technological and industrial history of the United States, industrialist and business magnate. As the founder of the Ford Motor Company, he is credited as a pioneer in making automob ...

to students from

Vassar College Vassar College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Poughkeepsie, New York, United States. Founded in 1861 by Matthew Vassar, it was the second degree-granting institution of higher education for women in the United States. The college be ...

, just across the

Hudson River The Hudson River, historically the North River, is a river that flows from north to south largely through eastern New York (state), New York state. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains at Henderson Lake (New York), Henderson Lake in the ...

.Breslof, Lisa; 2007
Slabsides
retrieved June 4, 2007 from amnh.org.

Building and site

Slabsides is a one-story log cabin with an open floor plan with a partitioned bedroom. It is located in a relatively low stretch of the

Marlboro Mountains The Marlboro Mountains, sometimes Marlborough Mountains, are a group of hogback (geology), hogbacked mountains arranged in a ridge extending from Newburgh (town), New York, Newburgh, New York, to just south of Kingston, New York. Considered to ...

, perched on the west side of a hill in the wooded John Burroughs Nature Sanctuary. There is no direct access by motor vehicle; to reach it, visitors must park on the gravel road up the hill and follow a gated logging road slightly downhill, then level, approximately 0.3 mile (500 m) to the cabin.

History

"Life has a different flavor here", Burroughs wrote of the cabin in his

essay An essay ( ) is, generally, a piece of writing that gives the author's own argument, but the definition is vague, overlapping with those of a Letter (message), letter, a term paper, paper, an article (publishing), article, a pamphlet, and a s ...

"Far and Near". "It is reduced to simpler terms; its complex equations all disappear." The name "Slabsides" came from the rough

bark Bark may refer to: Common meanings * Bark (botany), an outer layer of a woody plant such as a tree or stick * Bark (sound), a vocalization of some animals (which is commonly the dog) Arts and entertainment * ''Bark'' (Jefferson Airplane album), ...

-covered lumber strips covering its outer walls. "I might have given it a prettier name, but not one more fit, of more in keeping with the mood that brought me thither". Much of the cabin remains as he and his son built it, including the red cedar posts holding up the

porch A porch (; , ) is a room or gallery located in front of an entrance to a building. A porch is placed in front of the façade of a building it commands, and forms a low front. Alternatively, it may be a vestibule (architecture), vestibule (a s ...

. After his death in 1921, the property was presented to the

John Burroughs Association The John Burroughs Association was founded in 1921 to commemorate the life and works of author/naturalist John Burroughs (1837-1921). Administered out of offices at the American Museum of Natural History, the Association owns the John Burroughs San ...

, which had just been formed to preserve his legacy. When nearby

logging Logging is the process of cutting, processing, and moving trees to a location for transport. It may include skidder, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or trunk (botany), logs onto logging truck, trucksNational Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a National Register of Historic Places property types, building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the Federal government of the United States, United States government f ...

in 1968,, (Note misfiled under REFNUM for Riverby rather than REFNUM for Slabsides) and joining

and

Woodchuck Lodge Woodchuck Lodge is a historic house on Burroughs Memorial Road in a remote part of the western Catskills in Roxbury, New York. Built in the mid-19th century, it was the last home of naturalist and writer John Burroughs (1837–1921) from 1908, ...

as Burroughs-associated properties carrying that designation.

Access

To reach the cabin, visitors must park at the base of the road to it on Burroughs Drive and walk up a half-mile (800 m). The cabin itself, furnished exactly as it was when Burroughs left it, is only open to visitors twice a year, from noon to 4:30 p.m. on the third Saturday in May and the first one in October.

Hiking A hike is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century. Long hikes as part of a religious pilgrimage have existed for a much longer time. "Hi ...

trail A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or a small paved road (though it can also be a route along a navigable waterways) generally not intended for usage by motorized vehicles, usually passing through a natural area. Ho ...

s have been constructed for visitors to enjoy for themselves the woods that inspired Burroughs. The sanctuary is open year-round.

References

External links

John Burroughs Association: SlabsidesVirtual Photo Tour of Slabsides
{{National Register of Historic Places in New York Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in New York (state) Houses in Ulster County, New York National Historic Landmarks in New York (state) National Register of Historic Places in Ulster County, New York Houses completed in 1895 Museums in Ulster County, New York Historic house museums in New York (state) Biographical museums in New York (state) Marlboro Mountains

Building and site

History

Access

See also

References

External links