The original part of the house was built in the depression on land that once belonged to my great grand-parents, John Patrick Autrey and Harriet Gibbs Autrey. It was built for my aunt and uncle, Mary and Roy Autrey.
The cabin was built by Uncle Roy’s three brothers, one of which was my dad, Gene Autrey. In the early 1930’s, they couldn’t get round nails because of the depression. They had to use square-cut nails instead that the blacksmiths made. The lumber was sawed at a local sawmill from trees grown locally, mostly poplar, chestnut and some hemlock.
I used the cabin as a rental house until 1994 at which time Ron and I decided to use it ourselves and initiated repairs to update the windows, electrical wiring and plumbing. Repairs were completed in 1999. We lived in the home until 2002 when our new home was completed.
I have fond memories of growing up around here. I can remember having to walk across the swinging bridge to practice my piano lessons. I didn’t have a piano so Aunt Mary let me use hers to practice on and I walked across the swing bridge often. The only time I can remember being scared while walking across the swinging bridge was during hurricane Hazel in 1955!
When my great-grandparents lived on the river, they had a canoe. When people came to see them, they would yell from the other side of the river and my great-grandmother would ferry them across in their canoe. I believe the term they used was “setting them across the river”.
The cabin has served a lot of people well over the years and we hope that you might enjoy it as we still do.
by Lois Autrey Hancock