From
"Historic Building Inventory Olympic National Park Washington"
by Gail E. H. Evans
After coming to the Elwha River Valley in 1897 from upstate New York, Martin Humes, Will Humes, his brother, and Ward Sanders, his cousin, took up farming in the upper Elwha between Idaho Creek and Lillian River) in the early spring of 1898. By late 1899, Grant Humes was living in the Elwha Valley. Soon after Grant's arrival, he and Brother Will, erected a hewn log cabin on the east bank of the Elwha, the cabin still stands today. Unlike his brothers and cousin, Grant remained on the Elwha River for nearly thirty-four years, becoming widely known on the north Olympic Peninsula for his prowess as a hunter and packer for mountaineering groups, and hunting and fishing parties. In addition to the cabin. Grant Humes erected a barn, a structure adjoining the cabin, and other smaller outbuildings. In 1958, the barn was removed, and in 1970 the building adjoining the cabin was dismantled during an UPS project to rehabilitate the cabin.
The Humes Cabin was constructed around 1900 during a period of early homesteading activity in the rain drenched, mountainous interior of the Olympic Peninsula. Over half a century of continuous overland migration and settlement west of the Mississippi River concluded in the isolated, harsh environment now substantially contained in Olympic National Park. The Humes Cabin well represents the efforts and spirit of the American pioneer in settling the "last frontier" of the contiguous United States. Humes Cabin is one of few remaining intact homestead residences on the peninsula and is the oldest extant homestead cabin in Olympic National Park. Grant Humes, occupant of the cabin for nearly 34 years, is credited with participating in the first group ascent of Mt. Olympus. Herb and Lois Crisler, who used the Humes Cabin as their home base in the late 1930s and 1940s, are best known for producing "The Olympic Elk" film, shown nationwide by Walt Disney. Although the structure has incurred some recent exterior alterations resulting from maintenance and rehabilitation efforts, the Humes Cabin still possesses substantial integrity of materials, workmanship and design, and retains a perceptible sense of feeling and association.
After coming to the Elwha River Valley in 1897 from upstate New York, Martin Humes, Will Humes, his brother, and Ward Sanders, his cousin, took up farming in the upper Elwha between Idaho Creek and Lillian River) in the early spring of 1898. By late 1899, Grant Humes was living in the Elwha Valley. Soon after Grant's arrival, he and Brother Will, erected a hewn log cabin on the east bank of the Elwha, the cabin still stands today. Unlike his brothers and cousin, Grant remained on the Elwha River for nearly thirty-four years, becoming widely known on the north Olympic Peninsula for his prowess as a hunter and packer for mountaineering groups, and hunting and fishing parties. In addition to the cabin. Grant Humes erected a barn, a structure adjoining the cabin, and other smaller outbuildings. In 1958, the barn was removed, and in 1970 the building adjoining the cabin was dismantled during an UPS project to rehabilitate the cabin.
The Humes Cabin was constructed around 1900 during a period of early homesteading activity in the rain drenched, mountainous interior of the Olympic Peninsula. Over half a century of continuous overland migration and settlement west of the Mississippi River concluded in the isolated, harsh environment now substantially contained in Olympic National Park. The Humes Cabin well represents the efforts and spirit of the American pioneer in settling the "last frontier" of the contiguous United States. Humes Cabin is one of few remaining intact homestead residences on the peninsula and is the oldest extant homestead cabin in Olympic National Park. Grant Humes, occupant of the cabin for nearly 34 years, is credited with participating in the first group ascent of Mt. Olympus. Herb and Lois Crisler, who used the Humes Cabin as their home base in the late 1930s and 1940s, are best known for producing "The Olympic Elk" film, shown nationwide by Walt Disney. Although the structure has incurred some recent exterior alterations resulting from maintenance and rehabilitation efforts, the Humes Cabin still possesses substantial integrity of materials, workmanship and design, and retains a perceptible sense of feeling and association.
