| O. B. McFadden House | |
| Map Label: | O.B. McFadden House |
| Map Width: | 235 |
| Coordinates: | 46.6581°N -122.965°W |
| Area: | less than one acre |
| Architecture: | Bungalow log cabin |
| Added: | April 1, 1975 |
| Refnum: | 75001861 |
| Designated Other1 Num Position: | both |
| Designated Other2 Num Position: | both |
| Designated Other3 Num Position: | both |
The O. B. McFadden House is the historic home of Obadiah B. McFadden and is located in Chehalis, Washington. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1975 and is situated south of Millett Field. The house is the oldest structure in Lewis County and the oldest residence in Chehalis.
O.B. McFadden and his wife, Margaret (Mary), purchased the property in 1859. The land, originally part of the Saunder's family settlement claim, was situated in a wilderness area.[1] As part of the agreement, the Saunders, who were the founders of present-day Chehalis, built the home for the McFadden family.[2] [3] [4]
The home was once used as the local post office for the town of Saundersville (also Saunder's Bottom), before it became known as Chehalis. Mary McFadden was the postmaster between 1867 and 1870, with John serving as such until 1874.[5]
Repairs to the dwelling were undertaken by a homeowner in 1911, as the building was described to be in a dilapidated state.[1] A city council representative, Howard Miller, owned the home for several decades and undertook a restoration in 1982.[6]
The home is a story to two-story log cabin bungalow built with mortise and tenon construction of hewed-logs.[1] [7] [8] At its original build, it contained eight rooms, including four bedrooms in the attic, or second floor, and had 10foot ceilings.[9] [6]
Due to its age and renovations since its construction, the home retains little of its original build, but the exterior walls and some floor support remains intact. The mortise and tenon joints are considered unusual, but provide a solidity to the structure. During one of the restorations, a dormer was added and at other points the house was placed on a post foundation and two porches were built. No photographs have been found to show the O.B. McFadden home in its original state.[8]
The house was officially accepted to the NRHP list on April 1, 1975. The home is considered the oldest structure in Lewis County[10] [4] and the longest continuously occupied residence in the state.[11] [12], the McFadden House was one of eleven NRHP sites in the city of Chehalis.