Lindley Cabin Restoration

Lindley Cabin Restoration Built in 1808 the Lindley Cabin is the second oldest standing structure in Washington County. This p

August 19, 2020. In the dappled light of evening
11/03/2020

August 19, 2020. In the dappled light of evening

August 2, 2020. Cleaning up some weeds
11/03/2020

August 2, 2020. Cleaning up some weeds

April 11, 2020. Removal of slate board safely from garage.
11/03/2020

April 11, 2020. Removal of slate board safely from garage.

March 30, 2020. Collapse of front wall
11/03/2020

March 30, 2020. Collapse of front wall

November 10, 2019
11/03/2020

November 10, 2019

June 2, 2019. Removed fallen front porch
11/03/2020

June 2, 2019. Removed fallen front porch

Viola Lindley's hand drawn logo for the house.
11/03/2020

Viola Lindley's hand drawn logo for the house.

January 5, 2019. Window painted by Viola Lindley safely removed from cabin.
11/03/2020

January 5, 2019. Window painted by Viola Lindley safely removed from cabin.

July 7, 2018
11/03/2020

July 7, 2018

April 21, 2018, uncovered the cabin side
11/03/2020

April 21, 2018, uncovered the cabin side

April 2, 2017, just after purchasing the property
11/03/2020

April 2, 2017, just after purchasing the property

A few years ago I bought this house just outside Salem, IN from my grandmother. She was over the moon that someone wante...
11/03/2020

A few years ago I bought this house just outside Salem, IN from my grandmother. She was over the moon that someone wanted it. Growing up I always knew that it had been used as a stop on the Underground Railroad. My Papaw would give us grandkids tours and show us the trap door. The house is in a neighborhood originally settled by Quakers from North Carolina in the early 1800s.
Since buying the house I've found out a lot more history. I always knew it was built around a log cabin. What I didn't know is the cabin was built in 1808, and is the second oldest standing structure in my county. In the picture you can see part of the logs and mud chinkingwith river rocks from the two-story cabin as I work to tear away the siding and attached house.

Growing up the place scared me. I was the biggest scaredy-cat in the world, and my cousins and I would come here to tell ghost stories. A previous owner had buried all their pets here, and occasionally we'd find a small tombstone in the brush in the backyard.

A couple years ago I brought a friend out to see the property. He's super into paranormal stuff, and started taking pictures. Many of the pictures from outside had black spots in them and in one picture we could very clearly see a face in one of the kitchen windows.

I didn't like that. I really don't want a haunted house.

Sometime later we were walking around inside the house looking at a window. It was one of the only windows not broken, and it had been painted by a previous owner, Viola Lindley, who was an artist and gave painting lessons. Looking around the kitchen my friend said, "That's some pretty wild wallpaper, Viola." Then the weirdest thing happened. All the hair stood up on the back of my neck, and I suddenly smelled what I can only describe as the smell of a grandmother. Just as quickly as my body got nervous, I felt a deep sense of calm and comfort wash over me.

Like I said, I was a huge scaredy-cat as a kid, and I'm still pretty jumpy as an adult, but ever since that day I have felt completely comfortable on this property.

I've spent the entire day out here working on clean up, and it just feels like home.

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Salem, IN

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