abbie gardner cabin

This is a small little stop with a lot of history.Actual massacre site from the sioux indians.There are burial plots and the cabin looks as it did many years ago.

We stay in the area for a week and visiting the Abbie Gardner site is a nice time away from the beach and lake. Take the time to read about the event first and then visit the site. The site is almost scary; spooky.

This is the original cabin that Abby Gardner Sharp lived in during the middle 1800's. This is one of the cabins that was part of the Spirit Lake Massacre during which her family were killed and she was taken captive by Indians. The short film of the event is a must see as it brings into focus the conditions existing during that time. The cabin and grave site give one a sense of history during the period. The area is well kept and informative.

Growing up in Northwest Iowa in the 60's THE HISTORY OF THE SPIRIT LAKE MASSACRE was required reading in grade school. When you read the book and then visit this site it becomes all too easy to visualize this historic place.

Amazing to see how simply the family lived before the Spirit Lake Massacre. This real house is VERY detailed.

We went to the Gardner Cabin frequently when I was a kid and were always told about the "evil Indians" who attacked the settlement. Many of the display items are the same, but the presentations and perspectives have been totally redone to explain the history behind the attacked and add much more detail. I don't know if the man running the museum was a staff member or volunteer, but he was extremely knowledgeable about the site and its history and was obviously passionate about the topic. The museum/cabin on its own my disappoint a bit, but if you ask questions and engage the docent you are sure to have a great visit.

Be certain to watch the movie first before looking around---be sure to look at the grave sites to the east. Curator is very knowledgeable

My husband and I have taken our grandchildren to this historical cabin when they have had events that included games, speakers and pioneer/frontier demonstrations. Great history lesson.

We go check out the Gardner Cabin every year and as our kids get older they learn more each time. It is well maintained and very educational and helps my kids learn more about the past of the midwest.

Not much to look at, aside from just the cabin itself. It's worth stopping by, if you are already in the area, but don't go out of your way to see it.

Abbie Gardner survived the Spirit Lake Massacre massacre of 1857. The rebuilt pioneer cabin is the sidelight now, but at one time this was a major destination among those who have regard for pioneer history.The rest of the story is the new slant on why Inkpaduta and his band attacked and killed the settlers during this period. I won't give it away, but a slide show/video gives some insight into they troubled dynamics between the native Americans in the area and newcomer settlers.If visiting northwest Iowa, it's worth at least an hour of your time to gain an appreciation of the tenacity of settlers and how this became a major resort area.