Independence Pioneer Village

In 1987 Bob Lee, and his brother, Gary, agreed to help with the relocation and startup of a new factory in Lexington, Tennessee. While driving around the countryside looking at log cabins, they discovered that many were in need of preservation and restoration. Eventually Bob purchased the Bartholomew homestead near Darden, Tennessee.  Bob and his family dismantled the cabin, marked each log, loaded them onto a flatbed trailer, and then transported them back to the family farm in Illinois. Some logs had rotted due to years of exposure and neglect, but the cabin was reconstructed using as much of the original structure as possible.

While in Tennessee, Bob purchased three additional cabins. Not knowing what to do with all these cabins he talked with a long time Oakland resident and historian. She suggested that due to the fact the town of Oakland was once named Independence, that he put the cabins up in a village setting and call it Independence Pioneer Village. This is how the village has grown to what you can see today.

Please feel free to contact us about any events listed on this site as well as to reserve the Village for your own private event. Cabins can also be rented as well. Contact us for more information.