Settlers began building log cabins in Maine where the lumber industry was located in the 1800s. Log cabins reflected the hardships of frontier life, using materials like siding, beams, and barn boards. Settlers would gather and cook food by putting it in a pot over an open fire. Some log cabins were over 140 years old, and settlers kept cool in summer by opening windows or stayed warm in winter by huddling near the chimney.