Here’s a colorful account of a log cabin built by Harry Shinabargar in 1931 near the Iowa border by Hopkins. The photo was taken in 1963 by Ron Houston. Shinabarger, who was associated with the Shinabarger store, raised thousands of turkeys and was an amateur artist.
Harry’s Little Log Cabin By Mrs. Ivan McClurg
Photo by Ronald Houston
The Hopkins Journal, September 5, 1963, Page 1. via Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-hopkins-journal-log-cabin-hopkins/196941838/
A little log cabin beside a small lake, a few miles northwest of here, evokes nostalgic memories for many local residents and holds special meaning for a Santa Rosa, California, resident. It was built in 1931 using only a saw, an axe, and a hammer by Harry Shinabargar at 2710 Riebli Road, Santa Rosa.
The cabin stands only a few yards from the Iowa-Missouri border in a heavily wooded area, now owned by Mr. and Mrs. Donald Morehouse. It is on ground that was settled by Shinabargars’s grandparents before the Civil War.
Mr. Shinabargar had received his M.A. Degree from the University of California at that time. After studying art in New York for a year, he returned to Missouri to paint. He soon found that he had extra time on his hands, so he began looking around for something to do. He decided to build a pond, using his father’s team of mules and a scraper. As the small lake took shape.
Shinabargar began to vision A cabin nearby. Why not? Time and materials were available. If pioneers could build a log cabin with simple tools and their own strength, so could he. Shinabargar lost no time in pursuing his dream. He asked and received permission from his neighbor, a Mr. Hamm, to cut trees and take the trunks for the walls of his cabin.
Another neighbor, George Cheshire, helped him saw down the trees. Shinabargar built the cabin himself. He notched and fitted the logs for the walls and rolled up other logs into place. When trees were bowed, he placed the bows either up or down so that the weight of the logs above would straighten them out. The cracks between the logs were chinked with cement.
Some of the logs were taken to Clem Fine, who sawed them into lumber for the floor. In one corner of the room, Shinabargar made a trap door that concealed a pit. The pit walls were boarded up, and a false floor was installed, creating a secret pit below. The pit was made, Shinabargar stated, in case of an imaginary Indian attack
The door was made of a heavy slab and fastened with a latch string. The double-pane windows were taken from an old barn.
They were protected by slab shutters that fastened from the inside. The roof of the one-room cabin was also made of slabs, chinked with cement. However, it soon began to leak, so Shinabargar bought some tin roofing at a reasonable price when a local theatre building was razed, and used it over the slabs. He then built a fireplace and chimney of rocks. It took a lot of searching to find enough of the right kind of rocks, but it was well worth the time.
The fireplace was carefully built. It was double-walled, with openings at the top and bottom to allow heat to circulate, similar to modern-day steel 1 circulators. Many times, the Shinabargar family enjoyed a long winter evening before the fire. A rustic log bridge, from the shore to an island in the lake, added to the picturesque beauty of the surroundings. When the cabin was completed, the site was often used for picnics, swimming parties, Sunday school affairs, and scout meetings.
Mr. Shinabargar says that although it was hard work, he thoroughly enjoyed building the cabin at practically no cost, using only the simple tools a pioneer might have.
H. E. Shinabargar Services Held in Santa Rosa, Calif.
The Hopkins Journal, October 14, 1971, Page 1. via Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-hopkins-journal-shinabargar-obituary/196944637/
Funeral services for Harry E. Shinabargar were held Thursday morning, Sept. 30, at the Daniels Chapel of the Roses, Santa Rosa, Calif. The Rev. Alex Bryans of the First United Methodist Church officiated. Private inurnment followed at Santa Rosa Memorial Park. Mr.
Shinabargar, 67, died suddenly Sunday, Sept. 26, at his home in Santa Rosa following a heart attack. A native of Hopkins, he and his family moved to California 25 years ago. Prior to retirement in 1961, he raised turkeys and sheep for 25 years. He was the son of the late Mr.
and Mrs. William G. Shinabargar. Harry graduated from the University of California in 1929. The well-known amateur artist was a member of the Artists Roundtable of Santa Rosa.
He worked for several years as a volunteer art teacher at Los Guillicos School for Girls. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Santa Rosa. The Shinabargar home was one of those destroyed in the fall forest fire of 1965. He and his son, Norman. later rebuilt the residence.
He leaves his wife, Opal, of the home; one daughter, David Meek (Ann) of Buckinghamshire, England; one son, Norman Shinabargar, Santa Rosa; and three grandchildren, Scott and Beth Shinabargar and Sarah Meek. He was preceded in death by one brother. Marion Shinabargar. Mr. and Mrs.
Carl Gray, Hopkins, went to California to attend the services and to be with Mr. Gray’s sister, Mrs. Shinabargar (Opal) and family. The couple made the trip by plane, returning home Thursday, a week ago.
The Hopkins Journal, June 22, 1967, Page 4. via Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-hopkins-journal-shinabarger-grocery/196945117/
Many store fixtures and grocery items pictured in this early day of the W.G. Shinabargar grocery store on South Third Street will be familiar to some Journal readers. In the original photo, the Heinz 57 pickle barrels, coffee grinder, stack of Leader flour, usual line of breakfast cereals, canned goods, cartons of matches, etc. can be seen. Individually wrapped fruit can be seen in the cartons on the floor, and a variety of candy is in the showcase at the right. W.G. “Bill” Shinabargar, with a sharpened pencil over his ear, poses beside his new National cash register. Others pictured are George Otis, Harry Shinabargar, Earl Miller, A.C. Monroe, and Mr. Otis’s two sons. Photo courtesy of Harry Shinabargar.
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Turkey Farmer said they’d bring the timber; Harry Shinabargar said he’d bring the vision — they agreed the turkeys would handle quality control by wandering through every room.
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When Harry suggested an open-plan studio, the Turkey Farmer said, “Great — that way the turkeys can critique the art and the drafts.”
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They laid the foundation in 1931. The turkey farmer called it sturdy; Harry called it “rustic inspiration.” The turkeys called it dinner time.
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Harry painted the cabin door a bold expressionist red. The Turkey Farmer painted a target around the doorknob — just in case winter needed more excitement.
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They built the roof together. The Turkey Farmer nailed shingles, Harry sketched a mural, and the turkeys provided a soundtrack of gobbles every time a nail missed.
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When neighbors asked about the cabin style, Harry said “folk art cabin,” the Turkey Farmer said “poultry palace,” and the county clerk just said, “You two pay the property tax.”
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Harry wanted a skylight for studio light; the Turkey Farmer wanted a loft for turkey naps. Compromise: a skylight the turkeys could nap on top of.
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They tried to persuade the turkeys to pose for portraits. The turkeys insisted on being paid in feed and good gossip about the corn crop.
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Building in 1931 meant they had character and elbow grease. Also, no power tools — just one very inspired artist, one stubborn farmer, and several overly curious turkeys.
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The cabin became a local landmark: known as the place where art met agriculture — and the turkeys still swear they inspired at least one of Harry’s paintings.