Berrigan Cabins

Building Location: 

102 Lambert Street

Whitehorse, YT

Location Context: 

Berrigan built all five buildings located within the first two blocks of Lambert Street. Perhaps the largest collection of existing log structures built by a single person in Whitehorse. Refer also to the Mah Bing Cabin; the Cane House; and the Log Skyscrapers

Description: 

One-storey Log Cabin

Architectural History: 

The structure is a partially squared log structure with log roof beams. The roof consists of galvanized sheet metal. The foundation is timber grade beam footing with no basement. A small frame entry foyer attached to rear façade has been added to the original structure.

Cultural History: 

The log cabin is one of a number of buildings constructed by Martin Berrigan in the 1940’s Berrigan came to the Yukon during the Gold rush of 1898. He was employed on the dredges plying the Dawson area until his departure in 1939. In Berrigan’s words, he “began to get headaches and generally felt run down, so he moved to Whitehorse because life is too short to allow for getting sick.” This log cabin was one of the first built by Berrigan at just the time when Whitehorse was to experience a shortage of accommodation due to wartime construction. He continued building log structures culminating in the now famed log “skyscrapers” completed in 1947.