1934 Johnny Sacks Cabin
Big Springs Area, Fremont County
- Grants: 1999, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2023: Frederick Walters Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation Recipient
Location: Big Springs, Idaho, 83429
The Johnny Sack Cabin is located at Big Springs, the headwaters of the Henry’s Fork of the Snake River near Island Park. It is the only remaining structure in the area once made popular by the arrival of the railroad and the availability of Forest Service lease land. The cabin was built by Sack, a German immigrant, using a unique split bark design over a period of three years around 1929, and in strict violation of his $4.15 land lease agreement. Johnny made the humble cabin his permanent residence for nearly 30 years. The interior of the cabin features furniture handmade by Sack as well as a collection of his hand tools. Located nearby is the original water wheelhouse, which once generated electricity for the cabin.
The building and its contents are owned by USFS and is managed by Fremont County. Over the years, this partnership has overseen a number of remarkable preservation projects including repairing and restoring the floors, restoration of the waterwheel house, and the repair/replacement of roof shingles. Each of these, as well as the ongoing care and maintenance, embody the legacy of our beloved former historical architect Fred Walter. The award in his name is given to projects that have demonstrated outstanding adherence to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. Special consideration is given to projects that have demonstrated exemplary craftsmanship in the execution of the materials and methods of the project, and this is especially true in the reverent treatment of this humble cabin.
The cabin is in the National Register of Historic Places.
