George W. Palmer built this log cabin in 1867 in Logan Township, Nebraska, about 14 miles from Beatrice, using oak, ash, and other hardwoods cut from the banks of Bear Creek for the walls and handmaking the brick in the gable ends. He proved up on his homestead claim in 1875 after he, his wife, and their five children had built a home, planted crops, and lived on the land for five years as required by the Homestead Act. In 1880 Palmer added a lean-to kitchen, and by then the family had grown by five more children, leaving twelve people living in a cabin whose original size was 14 feet wide by 16 feet long. The Palmers remained there another 15 years. Before 1900 Lawrence and Ida Epard acquired the farm and lived there for 40 years. For homesteading families, the cabin served mainly as a place to eat, sleep, and escape bad weather, while most of their time was spent outdoors working.