The tourist cabin was one of several built by the City of Virginia in the 1930s, a time when automobile travel was becoming more popular. The cabins were built to house tourists interested in the mining industry and the Arrowhead region's natural beauty. A family of four could could rent a cabin for $1.50 a night. Items from local businesses, including mines, dental offices, barber shops, beauty shops, the brewery, and Steve's Hamburgers are displayed in the tourist cabin.