During the Irish potato famine in the 1840s, a million people fled their homeland. Most came to America. Among them was 22 year old John Donley of Ballyporeen, County Tipperary. He landed in New York City in 1848.

John leased and later bought a farm on 29 Mile Road (then called Irish Road), just east of Gratiot Turnpike. He and two of his brothers cleared the land and built this log cabin. Four generations of the Donley family lived in this log cabin and on the farm for more than 100 years.

During the 1930s and '40s, John Donley's grandson, Hugh Donley, his wife Frances Gavin, and their seven children occupied the cabin.

In 1998, the Richmond Historical Society moved the cabin to this site to preserve it for future generations.

Dedicated to the Richmond Historical Society by the descendants of John Donley on 8 August, 1998.

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