The original structure belonged to several homes owned by the Van Leer family who immigrated from Prussia in 1759.

Dr. Bernardhus Van Leer is considered notable for traveling on horseback until the age of 102,[4] and being one of the first medical doctors in New York.

Van Leers were noted in the anti-slavery cause and built nearby free negro communities for newly freed slaves.

[13] The Van Leer Cabin appears to follow the German type, where logs are set tightly together and even at the corners.

This article about a property in Chester County, Pennsylvania on the National Register of Historic Places is a stub.