POULSBO — With a power outage affecting parts of the North End this weekend, the historic Martinson Cabin stood as a visible reminder of life before electricity.

The cabin opened its doors to the public in grand style Sunday afternoon as more than 100 people arrived at Nelson Park to get a glimpse of how the area’s first settlers lived.

Poulsbo Historical Society President Bob Hawkinson estimated the total number of visitors at around 300 for the opening.

“Just look around, there’s this many people and we only opened 15 minutes ago,” said PHS curator Erica Varga as she took a short break from the hustle and bustle caused by the cabin’s opening.

The society didn’t know what to expect as it prepared for the cabin’s rebirth, so the large crowds were a positive sign for its future, Varga said.

“I think it’s very great,” said Bight of Poulsbo founder Bill Austin, who spearheaded the effort to relocate the cabin to Nelson Park.

The structure is one of the few remaining pioneer cabins in the North End and was in danger of being demolished before the Bight of Poulsbo and PHS stepped in to make it a piece of living history.

“People wanted something like this around here for a long time,” Austin said as crowds continued pouring into the cabin. “That’s a good sign.”

For one of the student volunteers, who helped furnish the cabin and prepare for its rebirth, the growing crowds were an affirmation of many months of effort.

“It’s fantastic. It feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders,” said Elizabeth Nodolf, a junior at North Kitsap High School, who worked with Varga on the cabin effort.

The crowds were a pleasant surprise, but even more amazing was the number of people who were able to enter the cabin at one time, Nodolf said.

Instead of being limited to a hands-off experience, visitors were able to touch many of the items in the cabin and get a true feel for life in early Poulsbo, Varga said.

“Many of the people who loaned us things stipulated that they wanted people to be able to touch it,” she said.

That attitude makes the cabin more of a “Norwegian” museum, which ties into the city’s heritage, she said, noting that such museums provide many “hands-on” opportunities.

Even though Sunday was the first time the public was able to enter the cabin, it won’t be the last. Plans are already underway to have it open on a regular basis.

“We plan to have it open from 1-4 p.m. on Fridays and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays,” Varga said, adding that the exact start date has yet to be determined.

Members of the society got their first chance to operate the cabin Sunday, which was an excellent way for them to prepare for the future opening of a PHS museum on Jensen Way, she said.

While the cabin may only be open three days a week, that doesn’t mean visitors won’t be able to get a look at what’s inside, she said.

“I’m going to ask if the doors can be open, so people can look through the glass and see what’s inside,” Varga said, noting that the doors on the cabin’s east side provide a panoramic view of the cabin’s interior.