Craig Tweney belongs to one of Burien's more exclusive clubs-- homeowners with historical treasures in their backyards.
His Marine View Drive property is home to the oldest surviving structure in the city-- Gunther's Cabin.

Constructed by the Burien developer more famous for his spiral tower, the cabin has at different times served as a real estate office, a railroad terminus, a post office, and a shop, according to Tweney.

When Tweney's father, George, arrived in Burien with his family in the 1950s, the cabin was slated for demolition. George Tweney, a celebrated aviator, researcher, and book collector, had a keen interest in the history of the area. He bought the cabin and had it moved from its spot on 152nd Street to the family's home on Marine View Drive.

"When my dad said he was going to buy a cabin, I was all excited," Craig Tweney recalled, saying that he had pictured a vacation cabin in the woods, "but nope, he moved it into the backyard."

George converted the space into a holding area for the rare books he bought and sold. At the time, he held one of the most complete Jack London collections in the world, in addition to significant collections of books on aeronautics, nautical history, and Northwest history.

In between time spent in Boeing's research laboratory, he authored a noted bibliography of Jack London's works. When he required a pseudonym, he wrote as John London.

"He was an intelligent man, he was an aviation pioneer," Craig said of his father, a founding member of the Burien Historical Society.
Towards the end of George's life, the cabin was used mostly for storage.

Most of his books have been dispersed, some sold, others donated to universities and museums. Among these items were several leaves of a Gutenberg Bible and a copy of the famous first flight photograph signed by Orville Wright, whom Tweney had met.

Lines of bookshelves on the walls of the cabin now surround a complete drum set that testifies to the building's recent use as Craig's rehearsal studio. Soon after George had the building moved, he replaced the roof and fireplace, but the cabin has required little maintenance since.

At this point, Craig said he is considering whether or not he will re-roof the cabin, which he regrets is not more habitable.

If he sells the property, he added, he hopes the buyer will make use of the ample book space and the cabin's potential as a studio.

"I'd like to see...someone use it for some literate pursuit," he said, expressing hope that an artist or writer might someday occupy the space, reinventing it once more.