POULSBO — New life will be breathed into the historic Martinson Cabin when its doors are finally opened to the public Oct. 29.

The cabin, which was built in about 1897, was inhabited by Michael and Martha Martinson and was part of the family’s homestead in the area.

Before being restored by the Bight of Poulsbo and moved to its new home off of Lindvig Way, the cabin was just a reminder of the city’s first settlers that was slowly falling apart.

Its final restoration will mark the culmination of efforts by both the Bight of Poulsbo and the Poulsbo Historical Society. Both groups are inviting the public to attend the cabin’s grand opening, which begins at 1 p.m. Oct. 29 at Nelson Park.

“I feel real good,” said Bight of Poulsbo founder Bill Austin. “This is exactly what it should be used for.”

Despite the challenges associated with moving the cabin from the Martinson homestead to the park and getting the permits required to open it to the public, the effort has been worthwhile, Austin said.

“It’s like a big weight has been lifted off my shoulders,” Austin said.

Even though the cabin will be used for exhibits, it won’t be a typical museum, said PHS curator Erica Varga.

“People are going to be allowed to sit in the furniture and touch things,” Varga said.

The society’s goal for the cabin is to give it a realistic feel, making it seem like someone actually lives there, she said.

“There’s going to be a dining area and a living area,” she said. “We want to make it look lived in.”

Some areas of the cabin will be roped off, but for the most part visitors will be able to get a hands-on feel for how the area’s early settlers lived, she said.

Volunteers will be present to explain the history of the area as well as to tell how the items in the cabin were used in the early days, she said.

Many of the pieces of furniture and other artifacts in the cabin were donated to the society or are on loan from residents throughout the community, she said.

“We tried to make it as authentic as possible, but there were some pieces we didn’t have,” Varga said, noting that the hope is once the public sees what’s in the cabin more period furnishings will become available for the society to use. “The cabin is a work in progress, and nothing will be exactly the same each time.”

Depending on which programs the society decides to offer, the look of the cabin will change to match that particular era of the area’s history, she said.

While the cabin’s grand opening will be the first public event held in the structure, Varga said plans are already underway for several more.

“I see us doing a Pioneer Days, and there are lot of things that can happen,” she said.

The society has already heard from homeschool groups interested in touring the cabin as part of their curriculum and discussions have begun with the North Kitsap School District, Varga said.

Poulsbo City Councilman Mike Regis said the historical society’s use of the cabin is the right thing to do.

“In a city growing as fast as we are, we need to take advantage of it or it will be lost in the shuffle,” Regis said.

For Austin, the reason for the public to be excited about the cabin’s grand opening is a little more poignant.

“The public needs to come out and see history come to life,” Austin said.