The 12 Murphy - (Foster - Pike) family members left after William Pike was accidently shot near where today's Reno, NV is located plus 4 Eddy Family members built and occupied this cabin.  The large boulder above was part of the cabins west wall, allowing a ready made chimney and hearth plus insulation from rain, snow and wind. It was a dark room with no windows, just a door.  They probably used hides for a roof, maybe some branches.  From excavations and archaeological work done during the summers of 1984 & 1985, it is estimated that the cabin was about 25 ft long, 18 ft. wide and 8 ft. high.  Lodgepole pine trees with straight smooth trunks of approximately the same diameters, were used to build the cabin.  The bark was left on the trees so the log walls would not decay as fast.  Mud was used to fill in the gaps between logs and animal hides were hung on the inside walls to help keep out the wind and cold.