The Pigott House (c. 1865-68) is a log double pen moved to its present site in 1982. Originally located in the Pearl River Swamp north of Bogalusa in Washington Parish, the cabin is now on the grounds of Mile Branch Settlement, a collection of mainly log buildings representing the pioneer heritage of the parish. Despite the change in setting and a few alterations, the house is a rare surviving example of its type.

The log double pen core originally had two frame rooms on the rear with a small porch between. This rear section was thought to be an addition and was removed at the time of the move. The front porch features four chamfered columns and an exposed pole rafter ceiling. The southern end of the porch incorporates a washboard. The walls are of large half-round logs with square notching. The façade features two doors and two windows. The taller of the two windows (on the south side) is thought to be an early twentieth century alteration. Currently board and batten shutters cover the window openings. An examination of the window surrounds reveals boards cut to accommodate an early type of sash window in which only the lower sash is movable. These boards are affixed with manufactured square nails, indicating that if the house was originally built without glass and sashes, as it is presently interpreted, they were added soon thereafter.

The interior features plain flat log walls with beveled battens nailed to cover the gaps between the logs. The ceiling has exposed pole joists supporting wide (non-tongue and groove) planks. The two rooms of the double pen are separated by a partition wall one plank thick with hand planed planks (also non-tongue and groove). The wall is secured at each end onto thick boards fastened to the log walls by large pegs. Similar pegged boards are to be found on what is now the rear gallery, indicating the location of the original rear rooms. The two brick chimneys are replacements erected after the move. The original chimneys were clay over frame. One frame still exists under the house.

The double pen core was moved intact, with the front porch and roof being disassembled. They were reassembled using the original materials. The rear range was removed, as noted previously, and a rear porch was added.

Founded in 1975, Mile Branch Settlement is a collection of eighteen mainly log buildings moved from elsewhere in the parish with the exception of a reconstructed church. Roughly one-third of the buildings are small dependencies. Two of the major buildings, the Knight and Sylvest Houses, are listed on the Register.

The buildings are tightly packed on an approximately six acre parcel on the periphery of the Washington Parish Fairgrounds in the small town of Franklinton. Fortunately, the museum abuts the fairgrounds on only two sides. Mile Branch Creek defines the property on the south side, separating it from the fairgrounds. This long boundary has numerous mature trees which effectively screen the museum from the various buildings on the fairgrounds. To the north and west is open countryside. Once on the property, the presence of the fairgrounds is minimal. The exception is along the eastern boundary where there is a metal sided building across the street.

In terms of the house itself, the only integrity issue is the loss of the rear range. While regrettable, it should be emphasized that the house retains its most important character defining features. In short, it is still a log double pen house, which is the source of its architectural significance.

The other integrity issue is the change from its original rural setting to the present “recreated village” setting. Log buildings were originally widely dispersed about the landscape rather than clumped closely together in a village setting. The Pigott House is important because double pen log houses are now rare within the state.

It also should be stressed that the house’s chances of survival in its original location were not good. The cabin had not been occupied since the 1920s and needless to say was deteriorating. Taking the best interests of the house into consideration, the Pigott family donated it to Mile Branch Settlement. Today the house is well-maintained and its future is secure.

The Pigott House is of state significance in the area of architecture as a rare surviving example of a log double pen house. The historical context is the Upland South building tradition of the state.

Appalachian Uplanders were the dominant cultural group to settle northern Louisiana, sections of the Florida parishes, and areas of west central Louisiana. Settlement began in the early nineteenth century, although nothing survives from this early period. These settlers built log houses of the single pen, double pen and dogtrot types.

Never as popular as the dogtrot (two pens separated by an open passageway), the double pen is nonetheless an important Upland South house type. They were either built as a double pen or created when a single pen received an addition. While it is impossible to know how many once existed, they were certainly more plentiful than today’s small number of survivors would indicate. Not every parish settled by Uplanders has been surveyed, but figures from those that have been documented are illuminating. For example, in a six parish area in North Louisiana, there are only twelve surviving log double pens, two of which are log single pens with a frame addition. One of the buildings was labeled by the surveyor as a ruin, and others are abandoned and deteriorating. Given the foregoing, it is fortunate that the Pigott House has a secure future at Mile Branch Settlement.

The house was built by Nathaniel Washington Pigott. He and his wife Permelia had nine children. The house was occupied by members of the Pigott family until about 1923-24. It was donated to Mile Branch Settlement by William Thomas Pigott and Betty Rose Pigott Hunt along with their father, Thomas Hamilton Pigott.

Louisiana Tech School of Art and Architecture, Folk Architecture in North Louisiana, Vols. 1-6. These volumes cover Lincoln, Bienville, Union, Jackson, Claiborne and Webster parishes. They are compilations of survey data.

Pigott Family Genealogy.

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