I've been confused about this log cabin ever since I moved to Pittsburgh. The cabin was relocated near the Cathedral of Learning to celebrate the bicentennial of the University in 1987.
The cabin itself dates to about 1820, and was donated by Trustee Charles Fagen III.
Folklore suggests the original students met in a log cabin structure. So the cabin is a powerful symbol of the frontier origins of the University.
The cabin's actual function, as far as I can tell, is to store salt for winter deicing. read more