Thomas Isaac Log Cabin and Firehouse Museum, Ellicott City, Maryland

During our Star Wars visit to Old Ellicott City, we visited two of the historic sites that are only open on the weekends in warmer months. 

Our first stop was the Thomas Isaac Log Cabin, right near where we parked. As we walked by, I noticed the open door and dragged the boys in with me.

Thomas Isaac Log Cabin

The cabin was built in 1780s on Merryman Street closer to downtown (which isn't very far at all). The cabin has one room downstair and a smaller attic space. The room was kitchen, living room, and master bedroom; upstairs was the children's room.

Master bed and fireplace/kitchen

The docent told us about the master bed which has a rope frame and a hay-stuffed mattress. "Sleep tight" comes from having to tighten the ropes that would sag over time; "and don't let the bed bugs bite" comes from the hay which often had pests.

Entertainment back in the day

The cabin was not built by Thomas Isaac. He bought it in 1858. The Isaac family lived there till they sold it in 1933. Afterward, the cabin was used as a meeting place for the local African-American community. It was the predecessor to the Saint Luke A.M.E. Church nearby. In the 1980s, the cabin was taken apart and put back together at its current location on the corner of Main Street and Ellicott Mills Drive.

Back of the cabin

Tiber River behind the new location of the cabin

Further down Main Street is The Firehouse Museum. This is another one-room museum (which my kids like) that's at the intersection of Main Street and Church Road. 

The Firehouse Museum

Volunteers built this structure in 1889 to house the firefighting equipment for the town. It's full of equipment from various eras.

An assortment of nozzles and other tools of the trade

The hose cart pictured below was hand-drawn and in use from 1892 to 1923. After its retirement, Edward Hilton stored it and would bring it out for parades down Main Street. When the building was reopened as a museum in 1991, the cart came back home.

Two-wheeled hose cart

This small bell came from the B&O Railroad Company. It was originally on a locomotive and was donated to the fire company in 1894. They used it as a fire signal for two years. The noise from Main Street would sometimes drown it out, so the fire department acquired a larger bell. This bell then became a school bell until 1925. Then it was donated to Saint Luke's A.M.E. Church where it served until the opening of the museum. The church donated it back to the museum!

Locomotive bell and yoke

This bell took over from the smaller bell on July 4, 1896. It was cast in Baltimore and became known as "Big Bell." It was much louder and effectively called volunteers to the firehouse when an emergency arose. In the 1930s, it moved twice with the firehouse up the street to larger buildings (the final building is now the home of the Wine Bin). It stayed there until the museum was opened.

Big Bell

I was glad to take in a little history along with the fun of the Star Wars scavenger hunt.