The Mahala Mullins Log Cabin was built from hand-hewn poplar logs on top of Newman’s Ridge sometime around the U.S. Civil War and was inhabited by legendary Melungeon moonshiner Mahala (Collins) Mullins until her death in 1898. She and her husband, John, were parents to 14 children, according to most approximations, and were known throughout the region for operating a lucrative moonshine business that specialized in brandy distilled from fermented fruit such as pears and apples from nearby orchards on the ridge.

After receiving the cabin through a donation from Daniel Williams, the eldest son of Vardy School teachers Alyce and Drew Williams, the VCHS Board in 1999 obtained a small grant to have the cabin dismantled and moved by trailer off the ridge to its present location. The cabin was reconstructed in 2001 using many of the original logs and stones. Relocation of the cabin from private property on Newman’s Ridge to a more accessible location in the Vardy Valley allows for visitation and enjoyment of the general public.