Abandoned since the late ’80s, this 1800s cabin slowly decays—its remains echo a homestead built on grit and purpose.

An even bigger puzzle surrounds all of this: an 1800s log cabin that arrived in Lancaster ... Other pieces, like the wood for interior trim, came from Craigslist, eBay and online auctions.

Riding a bluff overlooking the river is the historic Thebes Courthouse, a two-story stone building with a basement whose grounds house a project dedicated to saving an 1800s log cabin. The ...