Historic 1912 summer cabin on the St. Croix river

This historic 1912 summer cabin on the banks of the St. Croix river offers a quiet step back in time. Filled with original character, the home features a vaulted living room with a brick fireplace, screened porches, sweeping river views, and quiet woods. Generations of family history permeate its walls, creating a space that feels both nostalgic and deeply rooted in place. Simple, serene, and surrounded by nature, this is a stay for those who value authenticity and slow living.


There are two other family cabins on this property, although the trees separating them offer enough screening that you will be able to enjoy your privacy.

One of the other cabins overlooks the shared swimming/boat area. We ask that guests be mindful of noise level.

One of these cabins, "Vintage river cabin, the south house" is also available to rent.

Located in the quiet countryside of Scandia, this area is known for its Swedish roots, its lakes, woods, and farmland. We are one mile from William O'Brien state park with kilometers of trails. The nearby historic village of Marine-on-St-Croix has a small, charming downtown with coffee, ice cream and pizza shops, a bar and grill, a gas station, and the Marine General Store, the oldest general store in the state. A twenty minute drive north, Taylors Falls is known for its dramatic basalt cliffs, scenic overlooks, and access to Interstate Park along the St. Croix River. Explore trails, local shops, coffee shops, farmers markets and the Franconia Sculpture Park. Rustic Roots winery, overlooking the valley, is less than five minutes away.


A steep gravel road leads down to the riverside cabins. Please honk your horn (and listen for honks) as you start down or up the road, as it only allows one car at a time. We do not honk after dark, out of respect for our neighbors.

There is room for four or five cars to park, four if they're large SUVs/trucks.


It is necessary to have a car.

This rambling summer cabin, built in 1912 by our great-grandparents, has seen five generations of our family grow up within its walls, growing here and there or changing organically along with us. When you enter the house, you will feel as if you have stepped back in time. Most of the house is original, with old bead-board and painted wood floors. There is a central living room with a vaulted ceiling, large brick fireplace, and walls lined with books old and new. From the living room, you step out onto a large hexagonal screened porch that overlooks the lawn, native plantings...and the St. Croix River. At the far end of this porch is a sleeping area with a bunk bed and a door leading to a separate porch bedroom, where you'll be serenaded at night by owls hooting and the occasional slap of a beaver tail. This porch bedroom leads into two smaller bedrooms, each connected by doors in a fashion typical of many older houses, built in a time when hallways were considered wasted space. A large bedroom opens off the living room, and behind the cozy kitchen is another bedroom. From the kitchen, a door leads out to a utility porch with washer and dryer, and this porch leads on to a lovely, rustic screened dining porch that also affords a view of the river.

This is a seasonal house with no central heating or air conditioning, although a gas wall furnace and the wood-burning fireplace keep the living room and its adjacent bedroom comfortable on chillier nights, and another gas furnace readily heats the kitchen and the bedroom behind it when needed.

There is a full bathroom with a walk-in shower off of the kitchen; this bathroom has a heated floor. Another bathroom with a clawfoot tub opens off of the central hallway. And one small bedroom with a single twin bed in it (we call it "the blue room") has its own sink and a small toilet room that was carved out of a closet space - a true "water closet."
This house is the glue that has kept our family together for over 100 years, and has seen its share of both weddings and funerals. It is a deeply cherished place that we offer to those who appreciate history, value nature and quiet, and understand that an old family house like this will come with character.

Amazingly, this peaceful, rustic family cottage is located less than a hour from the Twin Cities.

Please note that the low-tech nature of this cabin means that there is no air-conditioning. Its location in the woods and down in the valley means that it is usually cooler than the surrounding area. We supply electric fans. Most people find these, and/or dips in the river, to be ample for their needs.

Guests have use of a shared boat landing/swimming area. (A canoe and two sit-on-top-kayaks are also available for renters' use.)

The St. Croix is wonderful for swimming, fishimg, paddling, birdwatching, hanging out on sandbars ... and just relaxing and watching the river glide by.

Although secluded, the house is one mile from O’Brien State Park with many kilometers of hiking trails; five minutes each from the historic villages of Marine-on-St.-Croix and Scandia (the first Swedish settlement in the U.S.); and twenty minutes each to Stillwater, Taylor's Falls/St. Croix Falls, and Forest Lake, which offer rock-climbing, antique shops, coffee shops, gourmet restaurants, paddlewheel river-boat rides, movies, and more.

Some guests have even commuted to the Twin Cities while staying here! There is no public transportation in the area — you must have a car.

If summer doesn't work out for you, consider post-Labor Day; that time of year is beautiful, too, as the leaves begin to change and the river is even quieter.

There are two other family cabins on this property, although the small woods separating them offer enough screening that you will be able to enjoy your privacy. One of the other cabins called "The South House" can be rented along with this cabin and is right next door.

*Please note that this is a vintage cabin and will show signs of age. And because it is old, unwinterized, and in the woods, it has - in spite of our best efforts - the potential for small critter visitors. We strongly encourage keeping food, especially bread, cereal, chips, etc., in the cabinet or refrigerator.

This house is strictly non-smoking.
If you wish to have overnight guests over and beyond our limit of 10 guests, please discuss with us.

Pet fee is $100. Limit one dog. A second dog may be considered, on a case by case basis.

A well-behaved, mellow, housebroken dog is welcome, though we ask that you please: Pick up after your dog; Never leave your dog unattended, either inside or outside; Keep your dog off the furniture; Bring your own dog blanket or dog bed. There is often a friendly dog nearby who has been known to wander over to say hello to renters.

We have serviceable wifi. Though you may wish to thoroughly unplug.