NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Park Structures and Facilities

IF, IN THE ARRANGING of material of this collection, a certain latitude, not to say license, could not be assumed to be charitably granted the compilers by the readers, this heading would have little reason for being. For while, if asked to name a half dozen structures justified by need within parks, a reader will probably name an administration building as one of them, he might be somewhat in a fog if asked to describe just what, specifically, constitutes one. The embarrassing question will not be pressed upon the reader. Rather will the difficult duty of seeking the answer be here assumed and herein attempted, without, however, any certain expectancy of pulling a rabbit from an empty hat.

In theory the administration building is headquarters for directing effort and business management of the park area. Actually it may be a vest pocket, a desk, a room, perhaps supplemented with typewriter, adding machine, safe, possibly even two or more rooms with multiplication of these accessories. But few, if any, examples of administration buildings are known to exist as entities, separate from other functions. There are gate lodges, custodian's dwellings, community buildings, recreation pavilions, dining concessions, and numerous combinations of functions, all termed administration buildings. An appraisal of the use and of the space devoted to this intangible business of administration will usually demonstrate that the designation of the building is something of a courtesy title, if not actually a misnomer.

This widespread paradox exists very naturally and very logically. It is probably right that the point of control, the symbol of supervisory authority, should have importance, even dominance, among park buildings. It is quite pardonable that the limited space demand of administrative function should augment itself by the borrowed bulk of less significant space requirements and give name to the resulting combination structure. The tail is allowed to wag the dog with more than usual justification.

Structures dignified by the designation "administration building" often tend to prominence of location and austerity of treatment that arrogantly imply special prerogative to compete with Nature as the "feature" of the natural park. Such boorish behavior can no more be condoned in Park Building No. 1 than in lesser park structures.

Illustrated hereinafter are numerous buildings, one function of which is administration. Some include closely related functions, others combine facilities ill-related to the business of administration. In so far as these avoid the blight of several scattered structures to result in a single structure free of pompous pretensions, the multi-purpose building masquerading as administration building is not unreasonable. Rather does it seem to be a solution worthy of encouragement.

Administration Building, Casa Grande National Monument

Adobe in gesture to tradition, and low, in keeping with the surrounding expanse of level terrain, this building is definitely and excellently custom-tailored to the Southwest. It houses various facilities that have legitimate function as phases of park administration and conveys impressively a feeling of organized administrative authority. The architectural style is related to that of the entrance way and entrance sign of this same park. These subjects are shown elsewhere in this collection.

Plate K-1 (click on image for a PDF version)

Administration Building, Casa Grande National Monument

Administration Building, Casa Grande National Monument

Administration Building, Mesa Verde National Park

Here is exemplified that unusual park structure, an administration building that does not accumulate other functions to gain impressive bulk. Informal in plan and exterior, it relates well to the other buildings in this National Park, several of which are included under other classifications.

Plate K-2 (click on image for a PDF version)

Administration Building, Mesa Verde National Park

Administration Building, Mesa Verde National Park

Administration Building, Longmire, Mt. Rainier National Park

The plans on the opposite page exhibit the several functions that may accrue to an administration building in a major park. The employment of boulder masonry as here illustrated is usually dictated and only justified by the absence of more workable rock material within reasonable distance. However well handled, it seems impossible to attain a satisfying appearance of stability. The rafters are appropriately vigorous in scale, and the blunted terminations of them are most agreeable. There is abundant provision of windows to insure a well-lighted interior without sacrifice of wall surfaces to the point where the exterior suffers in appearance.

Plate K-3 (click on image for a PDF version)

Plate K-4 (click on image for a PDF version)

Administration Building, Longmire, Mt. Rainier National Park

Administration Building, Longmire, Mt. Rainier National Park

Administration Building, Yakima Park, Mt. Rainier National Park

Even without benefit of the magnificent background afforded by Mt. Rainier this log building would be an outstanding contribution to park architecture. Obviously, but not too self-consciously, inspired by the early block-house, here is a building representative of logical and legitimate adaptation of a traditional form. The log work is neither too precise nor too laboriously rustic.

Plate K-5 (click on image for a PDF version)

Administration Building, Yakima Park, Mt. Rainier National Park

Administration Building, Yakima Park, Mt. Rainier National Park

Administration Building, Phoenix South Mountain Park, Arizona

In continuing prehistoric Pueblo structural tradition this building extends the vocabulary of park architecture to include a pleasing and welcome regional expression eminently suited to the Southwest. Interest is caught by the unusual character of the masonry, the several levels of the roof, the haphazard lift and drop of the parapets, and the rhythmic shadows cast by the projecting pole vigas. As is so frequently the case with administration buildings, the plan shown above does not particularly evidence administrative function. The combination of caretaker's quarters, service courtyard and museum form more accurately administration "point" than administration building.

Plate K-6 (click on image for a PDF version)

Administration Building, Phoenix South Mountain Park, Arizona

Administration Building, Phoenix South Mountain Park, Arizona

Administration Building, Selkirk Shores State Park, New York

Impressive in extent for a log building and notable for the workmanship of the log construction and the broad sweep of the roof. The severity of the concrete base, the trivial boulder masonry of the chimneys, and the thinness of the covering material of the roof are disturbing details.

Plate K-7 (click on image for a PDF version)

Administration Building, Selkirk Shores State Park, New York

Administration Building, Selkirk Shores State Park, New York