In Spring 2008, teachers and students listened and learned as Bill Marquis explained what attracted early settlers to our area. (Ask your fourth-grader!)

Bill spoke to CISD fourth-grade students about early North Texas history as well as showing the antique tools he used to rebuild the log house.

Durham Elementary also made the trip by bus to Bicentennial Park where the log house sits beneath three old oak trees. A wildflower area close to the log house will be expanded so that next spring, bluebonnets and Indian paintbrushes will surround the structure.

Elementary fourth-grade students were the first CISD students to visit the house. "This house would have been a palace to those early settlers," Bill told the group.

Rockenbaugh students were scheduled to visit on May 15, but it rained.

A visit by Johnson Elementary fourth-graders was also canceled due to rain.

We invite you to send us your reasons why people in Southlake should care about its history. Email to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Why should anyone in Southlake care about a log house?

A log house is a symbol of frontier America. Its sturdy walls reflect the values of hard work and individualism. It reminds us of the days “when all a man needed to succeed was honesty, courage, self-reliance and gumption” – values we still embrace today.

Rapid growth in Southlake has left us with few reminders of the past, yet we have a rich heritage. The little log house, visibly placed as an enduring symbol of our heritage, will open the door to the past for many Southlake residents.

Fourth-graders in Texas study Texas history, and an authentic log house with historically accurate furnishings will give them something tangible to think about and remember.

It’s not just a log house. It’s an invitation to read more about westward expansion; farming methods of the 19th century; pioneer families; antiques; log cabin and house construction; genealogy; cowboys, Indians and soldiers; herbs and medicinal plants; etc. Let the log house inspire you to learn!