A Look At Saline County's Cizek Log Cabin

Those who regularly read this blog know our staff members are fans of the Saline County Museum as well as the historical society volunteers who make it such a great place to visit.

One of the top attractions at the museum is the Cizek log cabin, built in 1869 -- two years after Nebraska became a state -- about five miles south and three miles west of Crete.

The cabin belonged to Wenzel Jiri Cizek and his wife Katherina Havlicek Cizek, who emigrated to the U.S. in 1864. 

The couple had a son (Joseph) and daughter (Maria). The Cizeks lived in a dugout until the one-room log cabin was built. 

Native Americans often would visit the family to beg for food and corn, according to museum documents.

The Cizeks did their own butchering, fried the meat and stored it in rendered lard and stoneware jars. They stored this meat, along with fruits and vegetables, in deep caves. 

They also made soap, churned their own butter, and dried fruit for the winter.

For entertainment, the Cizeks held occasional parties -- called "posviceni" -- with nearby neighbors. The children often played ball games. 

Wrestling, boxing, hunting, and fishing were also popular with the boys.

The log cabin was donated to the Saline County Historical Society in 1971, when the structure was moved to the museum campus. 

You can visit the cabin at the museum, which is open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.