West Log House
Also known as: Log Cabin at Old Salem
Why it's listed
Deep in the East Texas pine forest near Old Salem in Newton County, this log house was built in 1847 by James West. It started as one room of unhewn pine logs with square-notched corners, set on wooden piers and ringed by a covered porch on three sides. The gable roof carries hand-split cypress shingles over pine sapling rafters, and an exterior 'cat' chimney of corner posts, poles and clay-and-moss mats stands on one gable wall. Later, the gable-end porch and parts of the front and back porches were enclosed with board-and-batten siding, adding rooms, doors and windows. The house is considered important as a surviving example of a frontier building type tied to settlement of Texas, with details that reflect local materials, climate and the Deep Southern background of its builders. It served as a dwelling until 1969 and was vacant at the time of listing, with restoration planned.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is a surviving example of a log building type important to the colonization and development of Texas. Its notching, roof profile, chimney and deep porches reflect East Texas conditions and the Deep Southern origins of settlers. Later porch enclosures are described as typical of how early log houses grew. Its forested setting helps protect its integrity.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 79003000, listed December 13, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | NE of Salem, Salem |
|---|---|
| County | Newton County |
| Listed | December 13, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79003000 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1847 |
| Architect / builder | James West |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as vacant in the classification section; used continuously as a dwelling until 1969, with the owners planning restoration. A letter notes the logs are in good condition but the roof is in poor condition. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 30.55349, -93.75243 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 79003000.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110000354
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.