Directions

He selected beech logs to construct this eighteen feet by twenty feet full two story house facing the east. Originally the first floor area was divided into two rooms, with the south half serving as a kitchen with a substantial cooking fireplace. The north end served other various family needs and was heated by a stone boxed fireplace. The second story was divided into two bedrooms with the stairway rising from the kitchen area.

The family moved into the structure on January 1, 1808 as noted in the history of Warren county by W.H. Beers & Co. 1882.

Levi Lukens, being the owner and operator of a grist mill with a saw mill, a few years later relocated nearer his mill.

As time progressed the Lukens homestead underwent various alterations and modernizations. The original puncheon flooring was replaced by sawed floor joist and flooring, and the exterior was covered with board siding. In later years a stone walled basement was added and at a later date yet a lean-to kitchen was added, making the original kitchen fireplace obsolete, thus causing it to be removed.

The Victorian period brought additional alterations to the building, with the enlargement of all the original windows, and with the installation of a Victorian mantle around the original heating fireplace.
The Twentieth century also brought its share of changes and additions.

At the present time all modernization and additions to the building have been removed, exposing the original structure.

This house exemplifies the typical log architecture in Warren county. This building, being above average size, is an excellent example of a prosperous business mans home.

When the Village association took possession of the grounds two buildings were on the site: the Lukens house and the Lukens post and bream barn, built on the site in about 1810.

The barn had been stripped of all its siding, which was in the process that all the buildings in the project area went through, were either taken down for the material in them, moved to another location, or simply demolished. A few were burned by vandals.

The weathered barn siding, a desirable commodity for decorative purposes, had been taken by a local builder, leaving only the frame and the roof. Although it was piled full of manure and debris, the frame was still strong, so it was decided to restore it as one of the first Village projects.

Through several years the Village volunteers removed siding from other condemned buildings in the project area, sawed it to fit, and resided the building. A floor was put in and doors and windows added, and the big barn doors were built. Stone foundation work was done, and the building became a valuable item for both storage and operation of the Village.

Over the years it has been a dance floor, machinery storage facility, craftsperson's sales area, performer's stage, the bake table area for Volunteer food sales at festivals and meeting location. It now houses a restored 1800's operable wood lathe.