Around 1856, Dan Lawson built a cabin home on the property that originally belonged to his father-in-law, Peter Cable. Unusual for the Smokies in the 1850s, this cabin has a brick chimney. As were most bricks in Cades Cove, they were handmade on the property. Due to the beautiful woodwork and architecture of the cabin, it’s believed that Peter Cable helped Dan Lawson build the cabin (Peter Cable was a carpenter at the time).
A pre-Civil War dwelling, the original cabin was made of logs, but it was altered at times by the addition of sawed lumber. Lawson also expanded his land holdings from time to time, eventually owning a large strip of land which stretched from ridge to ridge. The cabin would be later expanded with an additional second story and porch. The porch would be used for the post office that was ran from his home. The Dan Lawson Place property was also home to a corn crib and smokehouse.