Out of the wide variety of historic structures I photograph, my affection runs deepest for log cabins and the ingenuity of the early pioneers who built them. The architectural details, such as dovetail joints fitted together with precision and without the use of modern machinery, stand as a testament to the skill and craftsmanship of that era. Exposed logs and stone chimneys feel warm and inviting, blending effortlessly with their natural surroundings. They represent a deep connection to our earliest ancestors and were the homes of many famous figures, such as Presidents Lincoln and Jackson. They were also home to lesser known figures, such as Joel McLendon, who was a member of one of the first families to settle North Carolina in the mid 1700’s.
I recently made the several hour trip to Carthage, NC for the sole purpose of visiting the McLendon cabin, as well as several other historic homes and cemeteries. The drive took us through farmlands and rolling pastures until we arrived in the sandhills of Moore County, named after the Revolutionary War Captain Alfred Moore. Carthage, beyond being the county seat, is deeply rooted in its role as a haven for early Highland Scot settlers.
Why did highlanders emigrate to nc?
Between 1707 and 1775, 145,000 Scots emigrated to the colonies. Back home, laws had been enacted by the British that were designed to destroy the Highland Clan culture in order to gain control over them. Poverty, defeat in battles and rebellions, and change in agriculture drove them to brave the voyage across the seas to the coast of the Carolinas. The first Highlanders arrived in Wilmington, NC in 1729. After a few early emigrants prospered, their reports homeward attracted growing numbers in a chain migration. Fifty families set sail in 1768, followed by 100 more in 1769. In 1770, six ships carried 1,200 emigrants, and from 1771 to 1775, an additional 1,050 Highland Scots arrived and settled as farmers along the Cape Fear River, while continuing to travel inland towards Cumberland and Moore County.1
Joel McLendon
When Joel McLendon came to Moore County in 1758 to claim his grant of 200 acres, he selected a slope overlooking Buck Creek as the perfect site for his home. Built around 1760, he constructed this 1.5 story, single pen log cabin with half dovetail joints typical of the log dwellings built by Scots at the time and with the structural integrity that’s allowed it to stand for over 200 years. 2
A little farther downstream he built and operated a grist mill on Buck Creek, which became known as McLendon’s Creek, just as the road below his cabin came to be called Joel’s Road.
The house was restored in 1970 by the Moore County Historical Association and was open to the public in 1976. It’s located at 3361 Mt Carmel Rd, near the Harris Crossroads west of Carthage, NC 28327. Tours of the McLendon Cabin are held on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month June thru. October, from 2-4 pm.
14 responses to “The McLendon Cabin”
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Hi Laura!! It’s Robert (Laper) aka artmaker115 and a few other choice curse words…lol. I was hoping there was a feature to leave a “like” or comment to show one’s appreciation for all the work and research you share. I particularly liked this post because after reading all of the Outlander books snd watching the series, it peaks one’s interest to see how much was based on real life. I also read a lot of early American history, especially about the Revolutionary War period. I live a few miles away from Saratoga and the well known battlefield where the British were beaten badly. Many Scots fought and died for this country, there and elsewhere.
Your post makes it nice to connect some of the dots.
Thanks!! Your friend and not so secret admirer 😊
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I am so impressed with your. Work and the long hours that you spend bringing back our wonderful history God bless you Laura
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Amazing work Laura, I love everything about your site! You cause us to stop and think of our own family origins and appreciate the hardships to survive. Beautiful….
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Awesomeness… Again a Amazing, Fantastic write up an historic information.. Love your new site… HELL YEH… 👍✌️☮️👊💥
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Joel McLendon is my 5th Great Grandfather. Our family was not aware the cabin existed until my mother went on a cruise and was seated next to some strangers during dinner on the ship. During dinner she discovered the lady next to her had a mutual interest in geneaIogy and as they visited they discovered they had shared McLendon ancestors! Her new friend told her about the cabin which I’ve since visited with my kids several year ago. It was very fascinating to be in a home that a grandfather of mine built over 250 years ago! I really enjoy your posts and social media pages. You are doing wonderful work and history preservation.
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Joel McLendon is my 5th great grandfather. We visited the cabin several years ago with our kids. It was pretty amazing to visit the home of an ancestor that many generations back. Interestingly our the family was unaware of the cabin until my mother sat with another couple at dinner during a cruise. During conversation they discovered a shared interest in geneology and then that they had shared McLendon ancestors. From this conversation mom found out about the McLendon cabin.
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