This site was the scene of the famous Spirit Lake Massacre, a violent conflict in March 1857 that led to the deaths of 36 settlers. Survivor Abbie Gardner, thirteen years old at the time of the massacre, returned to Arnolds Park and purchased the cabin and surrounding land in 1891, operating it as a tourist attraction until her death in 1921. In 1974, the State Historical Society of Iowa restored the cabin to its original appearance. The four corners of the cabin are the original oak logs and sit on their original location. The State Historical Society of Iowa owns and manages the Abbie Gardner cabin, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.