I came today upon an incredible RV -- a travel trailer built entirely of a single redwood log. That's right -- just one log. Back in 1946, before I was even born, it took two months of hard labor for Art Schmock and a helper to hollow out a 42-foot section of a 2,100-year-old redwood tree to create the 32-foot log house, which today we would call a trailer because it has a trailer hitch so it can be pulled. I did not see a license plate, so it is not currently street legal. Actually, the Log House is going nowhere. It's on display permanently at a souvenir shop about nine miles north Garberville, Calif., on U.S. 101 in the heart of the North Coast redwood country, home to majestic, thousand year old redwood trees, and 50-year-old tacky gift shops. To see inside the Log House you must first go to the souvenir shop and tell the clerk you wish to see the house. You will then be given a secret code which you punch into the door of the log abode, and if you are honest like me, you deposit a dollar in a lock box. But I will save you the dollar if you simply take one minute to watch this video that I personally shot and narrated when I visited. Saturday, January 26, 2008
Incredible RV is made out of a single log
I came today upon an incredible RV -- a travel trailer built entirely of a single redwood log. That's right -- just one log. Back in 1946, before I was even born, it took two months of hard labor for Art Schmock and a helper to hollow out a 42-foot section of a 2,100-year-old redwood tree to create the 32-foot log house, which today we would call a trailer because it has a trailer hitch so it can be pulled. I did not see a license plate, so it is not currently street legal. Actually, the Log House is going nowhere. It's on display permanently at a souvenir shop about nine miles north Garberville, Calif., on U.S. 101 in the heart of the North Coast redwood country, home to majestic, thousand year old redwood trees, and 50-year-old tacky gift shops. To see inside the Log House you must first go to the souvenir shop and tell the clerk you wish to see the house. You will then be given a secret code which you punch into the door of the log abode, and if you are honest like me, you deposit a dollar in a lock box. But I will save you the dollar if you simply take one minute to watch this video that I personally shot and narrated when I visited. 
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I don't think you saved me a dollar admission, despite your best efforts, because after seeing your video I want to detour through that area to see it this summer. Could cost me a lot more, grin. Thank you for sharing it.
ReplyDeletelooks cozy but I would need to put some sort of extension on the bed frame for a bigger mattress and extend the table out a bit! Cute tho, thanks for the $1.00 tour!
ReplyDeletewow....now I have to go see it!!
ReplyDeleteI did personally see this "RV" and was impressed by the craftsmanship that originally went into its construction. One thing I did notice though, and we are all plagued by it. One area on the outside seemed to have a nest of ants hitching a ride. If left untreated, this RV will be leaving bits of itself along the road as it travels.
ReplyDeleteI would love to see it also. I wonder how heavy it is to pull and has it ever been pulled and used?
ReplyDeleteI first saw this log trailer when my Mother's youngest brother got a Airforce leave and visited us in Eureka...I was 4 and it seemed huge to me...My Uncle was 22, raised in Oklahoma and thought the tree was huge! Farther down the road we saw the oldest redwood which made the trailer look small
ReplyDeleteOf course that was in 1952!!
Thanks for the pictures of my youth
I have been to the RV, the fall, 2007, it was actually pulled around the U.S. on a tour, when it was first built. It is very interesting to see what it took in its creation, it is now parked and can not be moved, because it would fall apart.
ReplyDeleteI saw this trailer at a home show in maybe 1963 with my parents. They didn't really want to see it but I forced the issue. I loved this thing. Mr. Schmock was there with his wife and he told us they actually lived in it as they toured it across the country. (I remember the look on his wife's face was less enthusiastic about it). I seem to remember he also had a section of the log he had cut off one end before hollowing it out. Maybe his plan was to put the ends back on so it looked solid but realized it would be too difficult. I remember even then thinking how it felt like a time capsule. Something from another era. I'm happy it still exists. Thanks for posting!
ReplyDelete