This small log structure was originally built as a land office and was located on the first county road east of Highway 59, north of the Appleby water tower. It is representative of the modest size and simple design typical of many 19th-century East Texas offices.
 

Following the Civil War, milled lumber and brick became more affordable and readily available, leading to a decline in the construction of log buildings such as this one.
 

Visitors may notice numbers marked on the corners of the Log Office. These markings, visible on several buildings throughout the village, indicate how each structure was carefully dismantled, moved, and reassembled at its present location.
 

Guests are also invited to enjoy a game of “Ante-over” at the Log Office—a traditional pastime from an earlier era.

• Two teams stood on opposite sides of a building, fence, or other barrier

• A ball was thrown over the barrier while someone shouted “Ante over!”

• The other team tried to catch the ball

• Depending on the version:

  • If they missed, they threw it back

  • If they caught it, they might run around the building and tag opponents or hit them with the ball (like early dodgeball)

• Players often switched teams as the game went on