HISTORIC CABIN IN TROUBLE
by Penny Greaves

Downey - For many years, the historic Coffin cabin has been located in City Park in Downey.
Covered by a second roof to protect it, members of Camp Hunt and Camp Redrock of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers maintained the tiny pioneer cabin and it's contents-antiques of the day.
The little cabin's interior contains many of the items a cabin would have held in the days it was built-a fireplace, table and bed, with a couple of chairs. All the interior items have been gathered over the years through donations and lovingly preserved by the DUP members.
Each August for the past few decades, members of the DUP have opened the cabin for two days during the South Bannock County Fair so folks could walk in and see how pioneers often lived in cramped quarters.
The women held a baked food sale in the cabin those two days so money could be raised to maintain the cabin.
Now, new and modern problems are facing the pioneer building.
For many years, water from the sprinkling system in the park has hit the foundation, and it is deteriorating. Young vandals have chipped away at the fireplace rocks, and repair needs to be done there.
An evaluation of the building by professionals shows that repairs could take up to $10,000. The problem? The ladies of the DUP are mainly older senior citizens who can no longer raise the money to maintain, let alone repair, the Coffin Cabin.
Downey City has moved the sprinkler system and it no longer hits the cabin, but there is no extra money to repair it-certainly not $10,000. The Chamber of Commerce also is on a limited budget, as are the Lions Club, the American Legion, the Downey Study Club and other organizations in the town.
Chamber members might be willing to spearhead a fund raising event, but the grant that is available for such projects requires a 50/50 match-$5000 cash to match the organization's $5000 grant.
In-kind contributions of labor and equipment are not acceptable, so $5000 cash would have to be raised.
Local craftsmen are willing to donate labor to undertake the project on their own, but building materials are still needed, so cash is needed. It is a dilemma to which Downey City Arborist Wendy Anderson has been seeking an answer.
There are many old pioneer cabins rotting in the hills around Downey. This was a pioneer town, and residents are proud of their heritage. Despite the number of old cabins in the area, the Abigail Coffin cabin is special.

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