Albert Lea in Freeborn County, Minnesota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Freeborn County's First Log Home (1853)
Photographed by Jason Voigt, October 17, 2026
1. Freeborn County's First Log Home (1853) Marker
This log home may be the first ever built in Freeborn County. Norwegian immigrants Ole and Astri Livedalen settled here in 1853. The home stood 1/4 mile east of Gordonville and was later moved to the fairgrounds in 1909, and then to its present site in 1957.
Constructed of rough-hewn logs with tapered ends, the original floor was split burr oak logs, later replaced with boards. The roof, once sod, was shingled in 1856. The home served as a residence until 1904 and saw 14 children born within its walls.
Early log homes like this were meant as temporary shelters until a more permanent house could be built. Some were repurposed as barns or hidden inside newer homes.
Inside the Cabin
A retractable ladder led to sleeping quarters - keeping critters away. Beds were made of rope frames and straw mattresses. Chamber pots sat under the bed to avoid nighttime trips to the outhouse.
Families shared bath water, lit candles for light, and ate from their land: wild game, garden crops, and milk from the family cow.
This collaboration is made possible by the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through the vote of Minnesotans on November 4, 2008. Administered by the Minnesota Historical Society
Erected by Clean
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Immigration • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical date for this entry is November 4, 2008.
Location. 43° 39.6′ N, 93° 21.592′ W. Marker is in Albert Lea, Minnesota, in Freeborn County. It can be reached from Bridge Avenue north of Amelia Place. Marker is outside the History Center of Freeborn County. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1031 Bridge Ave, Albert Lea MN 56007, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Minnesota. It is also in the American Midwest and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once Rupert’s Land, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Louisiana Purchase.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within one mile of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Cast Concrete Water Fountain (within shouting distance
Photographed by Jason Voigt, October 17, 2026
2. Freeborn County's First Log Home (1853) Marker
Marker is on the left side of the structure
More about this marker. Marker text repeats on both sides.
Also see . . . History Center of Freeborn County. (Submitted on October 25, 2026, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.)
Credits. This page was last revised on October 25, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 25, 2026, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. This page has been viewed 5 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 25, 2026, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.
