Tucked in a private wooded niche atop Fredonia Mountain in Dunlap lies a complex of rustic log cabins that captures nature’s essence and epitomizes the ingenuity of contemporary mountain living. Situated on the Cumberland Plateau, Dunlap is a Tennessee community best described as a pocket-sized town with an oversized personality -where neighbors embrace one another with a friendly wave and a warm welcome.
Among these homes rests a rustic log cabin that stands out with its solid log frame and Lincoln Log effect. The cabin’s green metal roof magnifies the lull of summer rain.A cozy front porch provides an inviting front entrance with its custom-made wooden rockers produced in Cumming, Georgia, a town ironically known as the Gateway to Leisure Living.
This log cabinoffers over 2,000 square feet of living space with three bedrooms and two and a half baths. It is tucked safely inside a well-guarded complex with other cabins within walking distance from one another.. The homeowners, Liz and Don Burleson, share the home with their new puppy, Winston, a Coton De Tulear. “He’s my retirement gift,” Liz notes. The couple’s grown children, Donnie and Jayme, serve as frequent houseguests.
Liz and Don purchased the cabin from Wagner Brothers Land Company in 2004, the same year it was built. Until June 1, 2007, when it became their permanent residence, the retreat served as a gathering spot for the family’s weekend getaways and holidays. Now their mountain home is their permanent residence and a peaceful atlternative to loud sirens and noisy traffic, that became the norm in their hometown of Duluth, a busy Atlanta suburb. Soft rhythmic whistles from cardinals and finches high atop the mountain provide a peaceful alternative to working in the steel industry and life relocating across a number of large cities, from which both Liz and Don retired from.
The Burlesons’ log cabin defines the core elements of naturalistic living; a gentle breeze blows every day, birds provide a peaceful wake-up call and deer, fox, and wild turkeys roam slyly upon the land, often escaping unseen. The moon and stars provide entertainment on sultry summer evenings as they seem close enough to reach.
Not only did the couple purchase the cabin but they also purchased ten acres of land surrounding it. “It was exactly what we were looking for,” Don admits of their cabin and their flat acreage that includes stunning mountain views and two bodies of water that Don appropriately dubbed Catfish Pond and Overlook Lake. Both are stocked for fishing. Other close-by amenities include several nature parks and access to miles of walking trails where no cars are allowed – only walkers or individuals on horseback or in golf carts. “It’s perfect, just absolutely perfect.”
The happily retired couple’s strong desire to leave behind a lifestyle led by demanding work schedules, long hours, and the corporate rush, had pointed them to the mountains surrounding Chattanooga. . After over twenty years in the fast lane, the couple was ready to live in a place which defined the opposite of hustle and bustle. Liz says she and Don searched for over ten years to find the perfect cabin and had virtually given up hope until she found the Wagner Brothers’ website. .
As it turned out, the purchase was serendipitous for Don who discovered, after having made his mind up to purchase the land and cabin, that Dunlap was only about 20 miles northeast of his mother’s hometown of Soddy-Daisy and a short drive to Knoxville, near where his father was raised. Don says choosing Dunlap for his retirement destination “was like coming home.” Although Liz originally hailed from eastern Ohio and Don had been raised in western Pennsylvania, both shared a love and passion for the Tennessee mountains.
Liz says Don had always been a ‘mountain boy’ while she had been a ‘city girl’ until he introduced her to the beauty of the Tennessee mountains over thirty years ago. They had moved to Georgia in 1979 from the North. Greatful to be heading South, Don still knew he still felt more connected to Tennesse, He says with a smile, “I’m a Tennesee-er all the way,” which he proves with his subtle Tennessee Vols memorabilia and decor adorning his cabin. .
“Don had traveled extensively over the past thirty years both in and out of the country,” Liz recalls, “and the easy ‘Mayberry’ lifestyle of Dunlap is an incredible relief.” She says there is nothing not to love in their cabin as it is simple, cozy, and comfortable. “Our Atlanta home was over twice the size and more on the elegant side but it’s so nice to be back to the simplistic lifestyle.”
Don says Liz “fell in love with the cabin because of the kitchen” while he “fell in love with it because of the architecture.” Its interior boasts open beam timber while the foundation boasts solid Tennessee field stone. The front family room features a custom-built floor-to-ceiling fireplace made of mountain stone. Built from the ground up, the fireplace serves as a strong focal point and sets the tone for the home’s overall natural flavor.
The oak flooring brings nature’s décor inside. A homey presence overwhelms the home’s ambience as its touch of rustic living is balanced by a classy and convenient approach to natural living. Their outdoorsy décor, such as pine cone displays and fescue leaves cut from the land, also embraces the essence of nature, making it a peaceful and idyllic rustic retreat.
“We’re trying to keep everything natural because we believe in keeping the integrity of the land,” Don says, noting the retaining wall next to their cabin was constructed out of wood harvested off the land. In the fall, the couple peruses the land for seedlings to dig up and replant on their own property so as to grow trees or plants native to the land.
Jimmy Wagner of Wagner Brothers Land Company adds, “Don and Liz are a great example of the type of folks choosing to live in our mountain community. They are typically from larger cities and want to get away from traffic and crowds. People come here and feel a sense of peace.”