After reading Director Lesli Linka Glatter’s audio commentary for Twin Peaks episode 1.005, I knew it was time to take a deep dive the film location for The Log Lady’s cabin scene. Thanks to long-time fan Josh Eisenstadt who first located the home, I’m happy to share some of the only photos from this Southern California location that were once shared by Charles on the now defunct InTwinPeaks.com. Shortly after this story was first published, an anonymous tip directed me to the correct location complete with additional photos via a realtor website.
WHERE IS THE LOG LADY’S CABIN EXTERIOR LOCATED?
To begin this journey, we start with the The Log Lady’s cabin exterior establishing shot. This scene in Mark Frost’s script, which was revised on November 7, 1989, describes the action.
26. EXT. LOG LADYS CABIN – DAY
Hawk turns a corner and comes upon a simple, solidly constructed log cabin in a clearing. It is not the cabin we saw in the photograph in Jacques’ apartment. Smoke rises from the chimney. The others join Hawk in the clearing.
This cabin exterior, is not the location I will discuss in this story as it is still missing. Fellow Twin Peaks location hunters and I believe it may be in Washington state. In August 2024, I researched a potential lead called Prue’s House on Bainbridge Island, Washington. Unfortunately, this location did not match the cabin in the image above. This establishing shot would be recycled in Twin Peaks: The Return, albeit darkened and cropped. I know it’s out there and if I wait long enough, it will turn up.
WHERE IS THE LOG LADY’S CABIN PORCH AND INTERIORS LOCATED?
Credit for finding this location goes to long-time Twin Peaks fan Josh Eisenstadt whose wealth of knowledge about David Lynch and Mark Frost’s show never ceases to amaze me. He took Dugpa, long-time Twin Peaks fan Travis Black and Charles who ran InTwinPeaks.com to the location. Charles later wrote about their visit to the location.
“On the day before my generous unnamed source brought us to this location, my friend Travis and I had gone up the driveway and snapped a few pictures of this house wondering if it might be the Log Lady’s cabin. At the time, I believed that the exterior of the cabin seen in the series (actually located in Washington State) was in California. It turned out, to my surprise, that they did shoot the interiors in this house. The house is up a very steep driveway in the same neighborhood as the Johnson residence, Easter Park and One Eyed Jacks.”
The home was located near the Peter Strauss Ranch in Agoura Hills, California. The 2,644-square foot home was built in 1978 and contained three bedrooms and two bathrooms. It sat on about 1.01 acres of land. It was sold in 2013.
I originally thought the home was in Malibou Lake Mountain Club, a private community where many Twin Peaks scenes were filmed. There are no Street View options on Google Maps so I turned to Google Earth. There is a barn-like home that could have been a match except the structure isn’t constructed like a log cabin and the exterior areas don’t match up scenes from the episode.
I also incorrectly identified a home on Highpoint Drive in the private community as the location. This home was later destroyed in the Woolsey Fire from Nov. 2018.
Shortly after publishing this story, I was contacted by a anonymous fellow Twin Peaks fan who provided the correct location Agoura Hills. This individual also alerted me to additional photos from Realtor.com circa 2012-2013 that could only be seen via the Wayback Machine.
With respect the anonymous source, I am unable to share the exact address. Sadly, the home no longer exists but I’m forever grateful for this fellow Bookhouse Boy for setting the record straight. With the location identified, let’s explore the scene comparing the script to the broadcasted episode.
PORCH AT THE LOG LADY’S CABIN
The action continues in Frost’s script for episode 1.005:
As a precaution, Hawk and Truman draw weapons and along with Cooper start to advance.
Both the exterior and interiors scenes were shot on November 22, 1989 according to production notes.
Charles and Travis visited at some point around 2011. By this time, the owners had added a wrought iron fence to the porch.
Looking again at this location from episode 1.005, you can see a stone wall in the distance. This wall served as another clue to confirm the location on Highpoint Drive. Additionally, the home is clearly constructed with giant logs in a log cabin style. This is different than how that alternate barn-like cabin was constructed.
The descriptive action continues followed by an exchange between the law men and The Log Lady:
As they round the corner of the cabin, they come face to face with the LOG LADY, carrying a log.
TRUMAN
Hello.
LOG LADY
About time you got here.
(to herself)
They move so slowly when they’re not afraid.
The owners added a glass door or panel to the area behind The Log Lady since the time of filming.
Rounding the corner, The Log Lady continues the scene with some dialogue cut from the broadcast (found in bold below).
She goes right inside the cabin. Pause. They look at each other. The Log Lady appears in the doorway again.
LOG LADY (CONTINUED)
Come on then. My log does not judge, it only records.
She disappears again. They look at each other. Cooper nods. Truman calls back.
TRUMAN
Doc?
It’s interesting that “it only records” was cut. It would seem the log is The Log Lady’s version of Cooper’s tape recorder.
The window on the right side of this image will be the same window we see the law enforcement team enter the cabin.
Here is a look at the front door from the location in 2011.
Here is another look at the door from the realtor’s website when the house was on the market in 2012.
THE LOG LADY’S CABIN WINDOW
The scene briefly cuts to an interior window looking out onto the yard. The Twin Peaks law enforcement team is seen passing by the window on their way into the cabin.
This is the same window, circa 2011. Notice the rocks circling the tree which has grown significantly since 1989.
This is a shot of the tree from the yard which gives a better look at the ring of rocks surrounding the base.
Charles took a photo of a rocking chair on the porch by thick railing seen in the broadcast episode. The Log Lady and law enforcement team would have walked by the chair if they had shot scenes in 2011.
A wider look at the window and the porch from the realtor’s website.
ENTERING THE LOG LADY’S CABIN
The camera dollies along the window and lands on a doorway inside the cabin where Sheriff Truman and Deputy Hawk first enter.
The action is described in the script:
INT. LOG LADY’S CABIN – DAY
Truman, Cooper, Hawk and then Doc enter. One large room. Simple kitchen, a bed in the corner. Table with six chairs, six places with a log-motif tea setting. A boarded up fireplace. Fire extinguishers and a bucket of water in each corner. An axe, a saw and other woodcutting tools. Framed picture of a lumberjack, on the mantle, beside a funereal urn, with ashes. Log Lady goes to the kitchen, where she’s preparing tea.
The Log Lady prepares tea in front of shelves lined with books and other knick-knacks.
LOG LADY
I’ve got tea. I’ve got cookies. No cake.
COOPER
That’s very kind of you, but I don’t know if we have time to —
Hawk signals him to accept the invitation, then takes the lead and sits at the table.
Charles shared the bookshelves lining the walls in the cabin scene “were built solely for the show.”
We get a better look at them as the Margaret carries the tea pot and a plate of sugar cookies.
There appears to be two rows of overlapping shelves. I wonder if some of the books were recycled from the Blue Pine Lodge library or were later used in the Bookhouse interior.
One reason the bookshelves may ave been added was to hide a staircase up to the second floor.
It appears that the vintage refrigerator may have been added to the room for the shoot.
As Cooper follows the lawmen into Margaret’s living room, we catch a glimpse of another room with more items I need to identify.
This shot looks at the front door from a different angle.
THE LOG LADY’S DINING ROOM TABLE
You can catch a glimpse of the fire extinguisher by the fireplace as Margaret walks to the table which was mentioned in the script.
When Charles and Travis visited, the clock seen against the wall behind Deputy Hawk was still there, but in the opposite corner.
We also can see that a bed was placed against a window, so it would appear the cabin is more like a studio apartment. I never noticed the bed until I was writing this article. The mantle above the fireplace appears to have a framed picture of a lumberjack as mentioned in the script.
The script continues with The Log Lady slapping Cooper’s hand for trying to grab a cookie before the tea. There is brief action and dialogue that was cut from the episode.
Cooper. looks around, noticing all the firefighting equipment. She looks at him, as if to say, “Don’t laugh. I see everything and it takes it’s toll.” Pause.
COOPER
Do you use fire for cooking then?
LOG LADY
I go to great lengths to keep it under control.
Here is shot from InTwinPeaks.com of the fireplace. It’s wild to see that the “Z’ board next to the fireplace was still in the home all those years later.
The crew covered the window above the bed during the shoot to assist with having even lighting throughout the scene.
The rest of the script remains mostly the same as broadcasts. Some exceptions are Cooper asking Truman if he wants a lime just before Margaret says her husband was a logging man. The scene ends with scripted action saying “Hayward dries the tears in his eyes.”
Here are images of the various close ups just to see the extra details found in this now non-exist-tant place.
Charles offered more insight about his visit to this film location:
It was such an incredible experience to be inside this location. It looked and felt so much like it did in the series. It turns out that the current owners are the same people who lived there when Twin Peaks was filmed. They were terrifically friendly and so generous to let us come inside and photograph their lovely home.
INTWINPEAKS.COM – REAL LOG LADY CABIN
Since Twin Peaks Blog is actively preserving the history of David Lynch and Mark Frost’s wonderful and strange show, I’m presenting the original InTwinPeaks.com pages about the Log Lady’s Cabin. I thank Josh for sharing his knowledge about my favorite show and to Charles, Dugpa and Travis for paving the way with their research.
