A Showcase For Cypress

At the Century of Progress, the Cypress Log Cabin offered a rustic contrast to the ultra-modern homes of steel, stone, and glass. Sponsored by the Southern Cypress Manufacturers' Association and designed by Chicago architect Murray D. Hetherington, it demonstrated the durability and versatility of cypress, known as "the wood eternal" for its resistance to water and decay, through siding, shakes, structural timbers, walls, flooring, window shades, and furnishings. The exhibit also included fences, pergolas, and bridges accented with decorated cypress knees carved to resemble animal heads and fantasy creatures, along with a garden workshop where visitors could learn carving and building with cypress wood. The main lodge displayed cypress artifacts such as a 150-year-old Seminole Indian canoe, a confessional grating from 1828 used in a Catholic church in Louisiana, and a 100,000-year-old piece of cypress found under a Philadelphia subway, while a second structure served as a demonstration space for craftsmen and later became known as the Guest House when relocated to Beverly Shores. The cabin was also the only building used as a home at the Exposition, with Mr. and Mrs. B.R. Ellis of the Southern Cypress Association living in its ell during both seasons of the Fair.

Beverly Shores, Indiana · United States