In 1991 a house which had once belonged to Civil War Captain James Leonard was set to be torn down by its owner. When the demolition started, a log cabin was found enclosed within the walls of the living room. Research showed that it was a cabin built by Simeon Talburt around 1830. Simeon, whose nickname was “Rapp,” was an early settler and the area came to be known as “Rapp’s Barren.”

    The Baxter County Historical Society purchased the logs with the intention to restore the original cabin. The restoration in Cooper Park took place in 1992-94.