The historic Canatara Cabin is still expected to be rebuilt this year at Lambton Heritage Museum in celebration of the county's 175th anniversary.
The 190-year-old cabin was disassembled and moved to Grand Bend in 2020.
Curator/Supervisor Dana Thorne said the contractor recently removed the logs from a storage container for inventory and they're "thrilled" with how many of the original pieces will be integrated into the rebuild.
Of the 106 logs, 17 will need to be replaced and nine did not survive the dismantling process because they were in such poor condition.
"We are in the process of seeking out some logs [and beams] from other buildings in the community that have been demolished, so old barns, that kind of thing," said Thorne. "Then once we have those logs on site, we're hoping to move forward with the construction later this year."
Thorne said a celebratory event will be held once the cabin is rebuilt.
"It will be the oldest building on the museum's property, it was built in the 1830s, our next oldest building is from 1857," Thorne said. "It'll also be the only log structure at the museum which is a really great aesthetic. I think so many people have wonderful memories of being in this building when it was at Canatara Park in Sarnia."
Thorne said they're still seeking donations from the community and working on grant applications to fund the project.
So far, over $58,000 has been raised through the fundraising campaign which has a goal of $100,000. Donations can be made on the museum's website.
As part of Lambton County's milestone anniversary, free admission is being offered throughout the year at Lambton County Archives, Lambton Heritage Museum, and the Oil Museum of Canada.
