The Davis Hollow Cabin is hidden beyond a gravel path, out of sight from pontoon boaters and picnickers at Moraine State Park.

But those lucky enough to find the cabin will see a charming stone and log structure, a shaded, quiet respite. They will see the efforts of the work — but not the work process — of dedicated volunteers who rehabilitated the relic in need of care.

Hands on history

Construction on Davis Hollow Cabin began in the late 1700s. Built from hand hewn logs and hand-carved stone, the cabin served as the summer home of Katherine Davis and her sister, Eleanor Holt, before the inception of Moraine State Park.

The park acquired the cabin sometime around the late 1960s by eminent domain, said Diane Winston, chairwoman of a volunteer committee that maintains the property with help from park staff.

Called the Davis Hollow Cabin Committee, the group is part of the North Country Trail Association, which began leasing the cabin in 2000.

“It took us about six months to get it half decent,” said Jake Detrie, who along with his wife, Carol, is among the volunteers.

Spearheading the project was Bob Tate, who saw the cabin as a place the North Country Trail Association could meet.

With more than a dozen years of volunteer work, the cabin does serve as a meeting place. The cabin boasts a great room with its massive fireplace as the central gathering place.

Two half-baths provide clean up space and the showers at the Davis Hollow Marina are just a quick walk down the driveway. The kitchen includes all amenities for a relaxing visit, while 11 beds provide enough space for a sizable get-together.

“We've had Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, nature groups from Cleveland come down,” Winston said.

“Everything you need is here, pots and pans silverware, plastic bags, paper towels, toilet paper,” she added.

Outside of the house, volunteers have mowed, raked, cut firewood, and kept the fire pit and tent pads operational. Last summer was spent digging boulders out from around the house, then laying gravel and walking stones.

“They worked on the hottest days last summer and pulled boulders around the side. Boulders! I thought they were flat rocks,” Winston said.

Volunteers, committee members, and park personnel have worked together to ensure the success of the cabin.

“The rangers have been exceptionally helpful with us. They've been so helpful with us. We have a common goal, I would say, which is to maintain this for posterity and not lose it.”

Through ongoing work over the past five years, Winston and her peers have brought the once neglected property into a profitable venture.

The popularity of the cabin was especially evident last summer, when a waiting list had to be created to accommodate all interested parties. This summer is starting off the same way. The cabin is completely booked on weekends in September and October, and weekend availability for the rest of the summer is quickly dwindling.

Like any venture, the cabin relies on regular bookings for sustainability. However, the cabin is also designed to serve as a resting place for weary hikers.

“We want to maintain it as a hostel, also, for through hikers. But, you know we can't just wait for the hikers to come through to try to maintain it,” Winston said.

“But when hikers come we accept them in,” Detrie added.

The cabin is one of two historic facilities on the North Country Trail, according to rental literature. The trail is a work in progress, but offers more than 2,000 miles that are ready to hike across seven states. When the trail is complete, it will offer hikers more than 4,600 miles of exploration from North Dakota to New York.

The portion of the trail in Pennsylvania currently offers more than 125 hike-able miles, stretching through Beaver, Lawrence, Butler, Armstrong, Clarion, Forest, Warren and McKean counties.

“There are people who come back here for years,” Winston added.

Vacationers interested in booking the cabin can call 724-654-4918.