"Little House on the Prairie." Abraham Lincoln. Daniel Boone. Log cabins -- and the people who lived in them -- are hammered into American lore. The rustic style of wood dwelling still captures our imagination centuries later. Exhibit A: Cool cabins we spotted for sale all over the country.
"In a rural setting, I think a log home is the perfect type of architecture for a natural surrounding," says the head of Log Home Builders Association, who goes by Ellsworth. "The design elements of the exterior of a log home blend in really well for acreage with natural habitat." He adds, "It's an awesome feeling, living surrounded by raw wood."
Ellsworth would know. He's a sixth-generation log cabin builder, who now teaches others to do the same. His dad, Skip Ellsworth, founded the organization in 1965 and may be best known for building log cabins featured on the popular '90s TV show "Northern Exposure."
If DIY isn't your thing, pull up your boot straps and tour these rural retreats. Antler chandelier is entirely optional.
128 Shawnee Hill Trl, Steeles Tavern, VA
Price: $2,500,000
Knotty narrative: If you're looking to spread out, this high-end rural residence might be the ticket. Two connected cabins from the 1850s mesh to create a modern living space. In addition to the 4,600-square-foot main house, there's a guesthouse and 350-plus acres of fenced grazing pastures, a pond, gardens, and woods.
-- -- --
2930 Travis Lakeside Dr, Spicewood, TX
Price:$1,999,999
Knotty narrative: Built in 1999 in a cove of Lake Travis, the 3,000-square-foot home is stuffed with amenities, including a massive wood fireplace, reclaimed wood plank floors, a high-end kitchen, a screened-in porch, and a swimming pool.
-- -- --
508 S Fletcher Ave, Fernandina Beach, FL
Price: $1,295,000
Knotty narrative: A log cabin on the beach? Sure! The 2,100-square-foot property, which was built in 1935, has been fully updated. It offers a large dining area plus a master bedroom with a private beachfront deck. According to the listing: The "interior is log with wood accents like an Idaho ranch, but [with] the ocean out the window!"
-- -- --
13713 E Weber Canyon Rd, Oakley, UT
Price: $1,195,000
Knotty narrative: Here's a vacation mecca with plenty of room for family and friends. This eight-bedroom home also sits on almost 20 acres of land, which includes national forest access. We love the great room with vaulted ceiling and fireplace.
-- -- --
Price: $760,000
Knotty narrative: Wood abounds in this spacious cabin featuring an open layout. It includes a wraparound porch, a stocked pond, and a glorious natural setting.
-- -- --
87 Hatch Cove Rd, Belgrade, ME
Price: $499,000
Knotty narrative: A Maine classic, the "impeccably maintained" cabin built in 1942 sits on the edge of Great Pond. The screened-in porch is made from hand-hewn logs, and the original pumpkin pine flooring harks back to another era.
-- -- --
Price: $269,000
Knotty narrative: Normally 1950s furniture in the woods wouldn't work. But this modern A-Frame pulls it off with panache. The cabin's sleek design includes slate floors, 25-foot ceilings, an open kitchen, and tons of light.
-- -- --
Price: $299,000
Knotty narrative: We love this picture-perfect cabin that sleeps seven and sits just 20 feet from Lake Superior. Built in 1924, the home has been "extensively restored" and has access to hiking trails, rivers, and tennis courts.