A study was made of the wood in the log cabin which is said to be the birthplace of President James Buchanan. Since there is no proof that he was born in that particular cabin, the researchers wished to know if this cabin could have been his birthplace. They concluded that the " largest portion of the cabin beam samples were cut at or before 1785, six years before the birth of President Buchanan." This showed that the cabin existed at the time of his birth.