The Torian Cabin is one of the oldest log cabins in Tarrant County. Located on Main Street across from Grapevine City Hall, it has been preserved and maintained by the Grapevine Historical Society and the City of Grapevine since it was rescued on 24 hours notice in 1975.
Constructed of hand-hewn logs, the cabin was originally built along a creek at the edge of the Cross Timbers, near the pioneer community of Dove, a few miles northwest of present-day downtown Grapevine near the Lonesome Dove Church. The area is now part of Southlake.
Although now known as the Torian cabin, it originally stood on a headright settled in 1845 by Francis Throop, a Peters Colonist from Missouri, and may have been built as early as 1845. J.C. Wiley bought the property in 1868. He sold it in 1886 to John R. Torian (1836-1909), a farmer from Kentucky. Torian family members occupied the structure until the 1940s, after which it was used for storage and started to deteriorate.
In 1975, the cabin was gifted to the Grapevine Historical Society by Mrs. Leona Torian Tanner. To prevent its destruction, it was disassembled in a single day, then reconstructed in its present site here on Main Street in 1976. It was designated a Texas Historic Landmark in 1978, and has received additional historic designations since then.
The two rooms of the double-pen cabin are open for viewing at all hours year-round. Decor is changed with the seasons of the year. There is always something new and interesting to see in the 1880s period furnishings.
The Grapevine Historical Society maintains and operates the Torian Cabin Museum and the Grapvine Historical Museum, and offers numerous other opportunities for visitors to explore and learn the rich history of the Grape Vine Prairie. Consider joining the Society! Here's a link to our affordable annual memberships.