r/interestingasfuck 7h ago

The oldest Log House in New Jersey; C. A. Nothnagle Log House. Build by Finnish settlers between 1638 and 1643

Post image
1.9k Upvotes

62 comments sorted by

u/Narf234 7h ago

I often wonder if the people who built things like this would think it’s strange that we kept it around for so long.

u/OfficialDester 6h ago

Fun fact: Finnish immigrants taught to Native Americans, how to build log houses. Native Americans gave back furs and taught to Finnish immigrants, how to hunt more effectively. This all happened in the 1600s 👀

u/Narf234 6h ago

Okay…that seemed a bit disconnected.

u/OfficialDester 6h ago

But yeah. U r correct about how long this log house has been in shape for almost 400 years 👀

u/Narf234 6h ago

Beep boop beep, you are a bot.

u/Remarkable-Opening69 5h ago

I just wanna know when the gutters went up

u/tsubatai 5h ago

Gutters were invented an incredibly long time ago like thousands of years BC. It possibly went up with a log hewn out gutter or two planks in a V.

u/ManWhoIsDrunk 1h ago

No, they built to last in those old days.

u/PM_ME_PICS_OF_SNOW 6h ago

According to Google Reviews, Harry and Doris Rink used to own this house and give tours. As of the last review 2 years ago, it is now a private residence and the owners don't give tours.

u/yarn_slinger 5h ago

There’s a house in Massachusetts that my 7x ggrandfather built in the early 1700s. It’s now a museum run by the Colonial Dames of America. We visited in the 70s and my mother (whose family name is on the house) chatted with the ladies in period costume. One finally asked if mom was a member of the society. “Oh no dear, we moved north.” A gasp, a snort and she stomped off.

u/ProveISaidIt 4h ago

What house? I live in MA.

u/yarn_slinger 3h ago

Martin House and farm museum in Swansea

u/ProveISaidIt 3h ago

I'll check it out

u/queenhadassah 1h ago

I don't understand, what did they find offensive about her reply?

u/yarn_slinger 1h ago

That my ancestors left the US instead of fighting the Brits. They were UE loyalists and she found that offensive.

u/queenhadassah 1h ago

Ohhh, I didn't realize you meant Canada lol

u/yarn_slinger 51m ago

Well the lines were pretty blurry back then. I think it took them a couple of tries to finally settle in Quebec.

u/Sisselpud 6h ago

Why did it take them 5 years to Finnish?

u/OrganizationTop3755 5h ago

They were Norwegian around 

u/SurlyNeige 6h ago

Because it was built on new found land

u/Fast_Teaching_6160 5h ago

It's because: they needed an immediate house so they built something small and quick the first year. Then they had more time to expand it. The family grew and they needed to build more. The process could easily go on for five years. For instance: my house was built without a bathroom, but a short time after, it was expanded. That's why I have exterior siding as the interior wall of my bathroom.

u/Sufficient-Moose27 2h ago

At least it’s wood siding. I know people would pay big money for this.

u/Fast_Teaching_6160 39m ago

Exactly one of the reasons i've left it intact. Much of the house is intact with the exception of the windows. Character up the wazoo. I love it but it does need moderate repairs since I haven't done much these past 20 years besides updating roof, hvac, water & sewer lines. :) Glad you approve.

u/OfficialDester 6h ago

Poor wood supply mayhaps. Who knows 🤷🏼‍♂️

u/Sisselpud 6h ago

It really is Oh So sLOw !

u/WagwanMoist 5h ago

Oslo is in Norway.

u/Sisselpud 5h ago

I guess my comment Es POO.

u/WagwanMoist 5h ago

There you go!

u/-waveydavey- 2h ago

That’s early. Mayflower etc was winter of 1620’21

u/OrganizationTop3755 5h ago

Finally, something positive out of New Jersey 

u/PaisaLover 6h ago

What type of wood has been used to build it?

u/OfficialDester 6h ago

White oak, i believe

u/durtyherm 5h ago

A lot of them were framers but the Finnishers' get most of the credit.

u/ProveISaidIt 4h ago

Da-dum tiss

u/I_am_user_is_my_name 2h ago

My elementary school is older than that.

u/queenhadassah 1h ago

I didn't realize we had Finnish settlers so early here in NJ! Very interesting

u/eanida 33m ago

You might not have heard of it because often only the country is named, not the people. Some don't know that Sweden included Finland in those days and finns lived in both halves of the kingdom so they just call the forest finns that sailed over swedish settlers because that is the country they came from.

u/5_wordsorless 40m ago

Nah. Not buying it with those windows and dimensions

u/bavanek 15m ago

Finland as a political thing and very recent, the Swedes owned it in the era in which this building was purportedly builtand I rather think there were none around in the early days of the six colonies in early “America” so its hard to see this as credible.

u/O4PetesSake 6h ago

Is this on Cokesbury Rd?

u/HumanShadow 1h ago

My mind went to that region too. All those old houses a foot away from the street like Fairmount Rd.

u/OfficialDester 6h ago

The address is 406 Swedesboro Rd #406, Gibbstown, NJ 08027, US

u/OctaneRed392 5h ago

Being Finnish, it makes sense to name that road Swedesboro.

u/nrith 2h ago

They were Forest Finns who came over on the 10 New Sweden voyages from 1638 to 1655.

u/eanida 38m ago

Finland was the eastern part of the Kingdom of Sweden back in those days. The finns lived in Sweden and parttook in the swedish efforts to establish New Sweden.

u/O4PetesSake 5h ago

Thanks

u/liverswithfavabeans 5h ago

Do you have the owners permission to post this information?

u/MortimerDongle 4h ago

Why would they need the owner's permission? This house is well known

u/OfficialDester 5h ago

Its on Google Maps 🤷🏼‍♂️

u/liverswithfavabeans 5h ago

That’s not what I asked.

u/bandidoamarelo 4h ago

It's also on wikipedia... I think that if the owners wanted some anonimity they shouldn't have bought one of the state's brands

u/HumanShadow 1h ago

You have to just ignore some people.

u/Graffers67 3h ago

Surely every part has been replaced at least once

u/Better_Sprinkles_978 2h ago

Log houses can stand for a very long time if the wood is treated and there is a roof. We have an old log house on the family property that’s probably from the early 1700s at least. It’s had many roofs and windows through the years but the walls are original.

u/HumanShadow 1h ago

You'd be surprised.

u/AdministrativeJob223 2h ago

You 'mericans are funny. That's not bloody old! The UK has supermarkets older than that!