Rika Dockery
My grandparents, Emma and Herman Wolf, raised their four children on the property that is now home to Timberwolf Chalet and Cabin.
My father Nelson and Uncle Harry helped build a log home in the backyard in 1953. They used telephone poles given to them by Harrison Telephone Company of Waterloo as well as a few railroad tiles. For many years my grandparents rented out the little one-room cabin.
As a child, I remember what a special treat it was to go inside the cabin. I loved the wood paneling, ceiling, and custom cabinets. I wondered if this was how Abraham Lincoln had lived…
After my grandparents passed, my father bought the property for long term rentals. His long standing dream was to build another log home, and he wound up building a timber frame home on the property, just across from the cabin.
The chalet, completed in 1997, features large beams that some Amish in Ohio crafted. Beams are connected with posts, and no nails are used in this home design type. My dad was almost 70 when he completed the 25’ stone fireplace in the Chalet. Sadly, dad passed away before spending a night in the chalet.
Late in 2014 I saw a Facebook post advertising the chalet and cabin for sale. I purchased and opened my home to vacation rental guests in 2015. So far I’ve welcomed guests from 32 states and 12 countries.
– Rika Beckley