The Lemuel Hardison Redd and James Monroe Redd Cabins

As I stood on the other side of this little garden I saw a dust devil come whipping by.  Unfortunately I was not quick enough on the camera to catch it.  It tore into this garden before it died.  It left a streak of black concentrated debris.

These are the remains of one of the Kumen Jones home, built on this square after the fort was abandoned.  According to one of the maps available from the Hole in the Rock Foundation this home may have been built on the spot where the original Kumen Jones cabin stood.

Looking through the ruins south toward the Barton cabin.

 It is part of the ghost town that the fort square used to be.

This yoke for oxen is displayed in the Lemuel H. Redd Jr. Cabin, next door to the James Monroe Redd Cabin.

This ox yoke is also on display in the Lemuel Hardison Redd Cabin.

A view into the Lemuel H. Redd Cabin.

Here we step into the Lemuel H. Redd Cabin.  The cast iron stove is functional here, as opposed to the fire places in most of the cabins which are for show only.

An antique armoire in the Lemuel H. Redd cabin.  This was beautifully restored by volunteers.

A closeup of the stove in the Lemuel H. Redd cabin.

A cradle in the Lemuel H. Redd Lucinda Alvira Pace cabin.

Another view of the cradle.

Pictures of Lemuel H. Redd and wives on display in the Lemuel H. Redd Cabin.

A storage trunk in the Lemuel H. Redd cabin.  I am told this is an original Nauvoo trunk that came across the plains.  How well would you do with this amount of storage for all your things?

A closeup showing the joinery on the trunk.

An extended log on the Lemuel H. Redd cabin serves as a bench.

A view of the front of the Lemuel H. Redd cabin.

Historically there was only one Redd cabin in Bluff fort.  James Monroe Redd and his brother Lemuel H. Redd Jr. and their father built a cabin.  Lemuel H. Redd Jr. moved into the cabin with his wife while James Monroe went back to New Harmony to court Lucinda Alvira Pace.   (Lucinda's father James Pace was in the Hole in the Rock company.)  A few years later when James Monroe Redd brought his new bride to Bluff his brother Lemuel moved into a proper house in town and Monroe moved with his new bride into the cabin.  So there was really only one Redd cabin, but two Redd families wanted to honor their ancestors by building a cabin, so now there are two Redd cabins.

The view outside the James Monroe Redd cabin.

A view into the James Monroe Redd cabin.

Lucinda Alvira Pace was an accomplished seamstress.  This dress was made by Jeannine Savage and is representative of the type of that would have been sewn by grandmother Lucinda Pace.

What is this pioneer tool?  On display in the James M Redd cabin.

Quilts, a chamber pot and a butter churn all on display in the James M. Redd cabin.

A dresser on display in the James M. Redd cabin.  Mary and Ben Donoho donated this antique bed and dresser.

The fireplace and mantle in the James M. Redd cabin.

A detail of the fireplace in the James M. Redd cabin.

A bed in the James M. Redd cabin.  In the real cabin where would all kids sleep?

What is this tool?  On display in the James M. Redd cabin.

To be continued . . .