In 1850 (or thereabouts), a Civil War veteran was offered $300 or 160 acres of land. He was going to take the $300 and join the California gold rush (which was still going strong), but thought that he might be robbed on the way. He decided to take 160 beautiful rolling acres of land in Sauk County, Wisconsin. He married a nice German girl and built this cabin. They raised 12 children in it. In the early 1900's the home and land were sold to the family whose descendants still live on the property in a more modern dwelling. They run an apple orchard there.