I've always wondered which celebrities owned log homes. So I did a little digging and found some interesting ones.

Some of the following celebrity log homes are considered vacation homes or part-time residences... but how many celebrities actually live in just one home year-round anyway?

Check out which celebrities own log cabins...

The Weatherall company provides a number of log home products, include stain and chinking.

In 1982 the Weatherall Company became the first company to develop an all-acrylic, elastomeric chinking for log homes. This revolutionary new product was known as Weatherall 1010 Chinking. Shortly thereafter Weatherall Company developed a new log finish that was compatible with the chinking. Next a unique backer-rod was engineered to complete the first true Log Home Sealant System-a total system that would provide the ultimate protection against the harsh elements of weather: sunlight, moisture and wind. Source

Now, they're offering a fun (and FREE!) downloadable program that lets you see what your log home would look like with different color schemes.

I find it interesting that one of the first homes designed in the Arts & Crafts / Craftsman style was a log home built in 1918. And, that Craftsman style log home is still standing in a town near me -- Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

According to David Jutkins:
Gustav Stickley first publicized Craftsman plans and designs in his magazine The Craftsman in 1901. In 1904 he started to show Craftsman-designed homes and floor plans, and in 1905 he first applied the word "bungalow" to the Craftsman style of home.

Although the magazine ceased publication in 1916, its influence continued to inspire house designs among Americans until the 1930s.

Enter Clark Woodard, an instructor of industrial arts at Middle Tennessee State College, who built his log bungalow in 1918 using Stickley's Craftsman style design ideas.

View Stickley's Craftsman style home plans, compared to Woodard's Craftsman style log home plans.

Jutkins also adds, "Stucco, stones, and unpainted wood became favorite exterior materials for these homes, because they were inexpensive, functional, and required low maintenance."

Sounds like the Craftsman style and log home living complement each other well!

A few years ago, I saved this statement that I found in a magazine or online:

Log homes are stronger & sturdier and more likely to survive tornadoes & hurricanes, largely due to all of the inner-locking joints.

Unfortunately... I didn't write down the source. (It was long before I had this website.) So, I recently decided to do a little research in hopes of determining a log home's ability to withstand hurricanes and tornadoes.

On websites discussing common log home myths, I found this...

Log homes are stronger than conventional homes. This is almost completely true, because it's actually the massive log walls that provide strength. Even though other parts of a log home may not be as strong as the walls, the walls tend to hold everything together in times of storms or earthquakes. Source

And this...

Log homes have established a record of surviving other natural disasters in much better condition than frame houses. Ripped from their foundations by floodwaters, they've been known to simply float intact down the river. During Hurricane Hugo, a log home was the only Carolina beachfront home to remain standing. Florida log homes survived the destructive winds of Hurricane Andrew in 1992 with only minor damage, and in areas of utter devastation during recent California earthquakes, log homes were among the few dwellings that escaped major damage." Source (.pdf)

With hurricane season upon us (June 1 through November 30), I thought it might be worthwhile to see how well log homes fare under typical hurricane conditions.

Living in Franklin, Tennessee (a suburb of Nashville), we've gone to Center Hill Lake quite a few times in the past.

But, until last weekend, we had never gone specifically with the purpose of checking out the log homes that have been built on Center Hill Lake.

The 2007 HGTV Dream Home will be featured for the first time on television January 1st, following the Rose Parade.

See future air dates & times here.

The interesting part to me:
While not exactly a "log home"... it's a rustic lodge home, with a number of heavy timber accents and timber frame characteristics.

Check it out!...

Have I mentioned yet how much I enjoy participating the many events for prospective log home owners that log home builders have throughout the year?

Yesterday, we attended another one. It was an Honest Abe Open House at the home of Todd and Kim.

This was definitely the most FUN house on the Honest Abe Log Home Tour.

Lonnie and Sherry built this house from scratch themselves. It took them 2 years, and they have a lot to be proud of.

Check out all of these one-of-a-kind features...

In a matter of a few short days, we've actually made several trips to Dover, Tennessee!

Here are highlights from a couple of them:

• Our First Trip To Lake Barkley/Kentucky Lake
• Exploring More Kentucky Lake Area Properties