|
Administering the National Forests of Colorado:
An Assessment of the Architectural and Cultural Significance of Historical Administrative Properties
|
|
INVENTORY AND RESULTS OF EVALUATION
Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests
In 1902 several thousand acres were withdrawn from
settlement in northern Colorado. This reserve came to be known as the
Colorado Division of the Medicine Bow National Forest, established in
1905. Three years later 196,000 acres were added, and by 1910 this
portion of the Medicine Bow became the Colorado National Forest. The
Medicine Bow was headquartered in Saratoga, Wyoming, in 1915, while what
is now basically the Estes-Poudre District of the Roosevelt was overseen
by a ranger based in Walden, Colorado. It wasn't until 1932 that
President Herbert Hoover renamed the Forest in memory of Theodore
Roosevelt. Arapaho National Forest was established as a reserve by
Roosevelt's proclamation in 1908, created from portions of the Pike,
Leadville, and Medicine Bow forests. In 1929 further land transfers were
made from the Pike, Colorado, and Leadville. The following year that
portion transferred from the Colorado was again transferred to the
Routt.
During the years 1907-08 headquarters for the then
Colorado National Forest were moved from Ft. Collins to Estes Park, but
because of a lack of visitors moved back to Ft. Collins. The Arapaho and
Roosevelt National Forests and the Pawnee National Grasslands are
currently administered from Ft. Collins.
Like most of the National Forests in the state,
watershed conservation was the primary reason for establishment of the
federal reserve. In the case of the original Medicine Bow, influential
persons from the Colorado Agricultural College, the Longmont Farmers
Institute, and academic institutions at both Greeley and Boulder
petitioned the state legislature to push for the withdrawal of portions
of Larimer and Boulder counties from settlement.
Grazing of both cattle and sheep were prosperous
enterprises in this area. Management of timber, needed by both mining
and railroad industries also justified the establishment of these lands.
Mining was important to the area as early as 1859 and by the late 1940s
uranium prospecting stimulated development of properties originally
established to produce gold, silver, lead, and zinc. Early tourism in
the area fostered the development of recreational facilities, especially
in the 1920s (Reini 1931; Winter et al. n.d.).
Tables 6 and 7 list administrative sites evaluated in
Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Figure 47 shows the relative
location of these sites.
Table 6. Summary of Site Recommendations for Arapaho National
Forest.
| Site Name |
Const. Date |
Site No. |
Eligibility Status |
| Horseshoe Ranger Station |
1900 |
5GA805 |
* officially eligible (1984) |
| Idaho Springs Ranger's (Supervisor's) Residence & Garage (Warehouse) |
1938-1940 |
5CC653 |
* officially eligible (1993) |
| Idaho Springs Work Center |
1938 |
5CC698 |
not significant under A or C† |
| Shadow Mountain Village |
1939-1947 |
5GA1893 |
significant under A, C† |
| Sulphur Ranger District Assistant Ranger's Residence |
1946 |
5GA1339 |
* not eligible (1990) |
| Sulphur Ranger District Assistant Ranger's Residence |
1930 |
5GA1340 |
* not eligible (1990) |
| Sulphur Ranger District Bunkhouse/Garage |
1930 |
5GA1338 |
* not eligible (1990) |
| Sulphur Ranger District Forest Sup.'s Residence |
1936 |
5GA1336 |
* officially eligible (1990) |
| Sulphur Ranger District Storage Shed |
1960 |
5GA1341 |
* not eligible (1990) |
| Sulphur Ranger District Storage Shed |
1970 |
5GA1343 |
* not eligible (1990) |
Construction dates are for extant buildings only.
* Not examined as part of this project. Status determination by State of Colorado.
† Field recommendation, this project.
Table 7. Summary of Site Recommendations for Roosevelt National
Forest.
| Site Name |
Const. Date |
Site No. |
Field Eligibility Recommendation |
| Buckhorn Work Center (Ranger Station) |
1929-1940 |
5LR1862 |
significant under Criteria A and C |
| Estes Park Ranger Station (Headquarters) |
1939 |
5LR1863 |
significant under Criteria A and C |
| Redfeather (Lakes) Ranger Station |
1937-1941 |
5LR1864 |
significant under Criteria A and C |
| Rollinsville Work Center |
1934-1937 |
5GL696 |
not significant under A or C |
| Stub Creek Ranger Station (Work Center) |
1936-1939 |
5LR1865 |
significant under Criteria A and C |
|
|
Figure 47. Sites Evaluated in the Arapaho and Roosevelt National
Forests and Pawnee National Grasslands. RR=Ranger's Residence;
RS=Ranger Station; WC=Work Center. (click on image for a PDF version)
|
SITE SUMMARY
 |
Figure 48
Supervisor's Residence
Idaho Springs, Colorado |
USFS R2 Files
W.O. 422167
September 1942
|
5CC653 Idaho Springs Supervisor's Residence and Warehouse
Clear Creek Ranger District
Arapaho National Forest
|
| Building Name | Bldg. No. | Date | Builder | Style |
| Warehouse | AR1002 | 1938-39 | CCC F-63-C | Rustic |
| Dwelling | AR1001 | 1939-40 | CCC F-63-C | Rustic |
|
Statement of Significance. It is recommended that site 5CC653 is
significant under criteria A and C. The site is associated with the
recreational and administrative development of the Arapaho National
Forest, and has the best preserved and most masterful example of a brick
Rustic Style building in Colorado. The site overall is unique in its
layout and function as both the supervisor's residence and his
warehouse.
Architectural Plans. Idaho Springs Garage (F6159), Idaho Springs
Dwelling (F6855), Idaho Springs Ranger Station Planting Plan (F6855).
|
SITE SUMMARY
 |
Figure 49
Multipurpose Building
View to the Southeast |
Roll 5, Neg. 23
July 1993
|
5CC698 Idaho Springs Work Center
Clear Creek Ranger District
Arapaho National Forest
|
| Building Name | Bldg. No. | Date | Builder | Style |
| Multipurpose Building | AR905 | 1938 | CCC F-63-C | Pioneer |
|
Statement of Significance. It is recommended
that site 5CC698 is not significant under criteria A or C. Though
associated with the recreational and administrative development of the
Arapaho National Forest, this site has lost its integrity as a CCC Camp
site. It contains only one CCC-era building. This building has lost its
integrity of association and is not representative of typical Forest
Service design. The other buildings are not old enough to be
evaluated.
Architectural Plans. Idaho Springs Work Center Improvement Maps,
1958; 1968.
|
SITE SUMMARY
 |
Figure 50
Seasonal Quarters
Shadow Mountain Camp |
Sulphur District photograph, c/o Patrick Gill
Shadow Mountain village, Colorado
Photo by Hellbusch, June 1958
|
5GA1893 Shadow Mountain Village
Sulphur Ranger District
Arapaho National Forest
|
| Building Name | Bldg. No. | Date | Builder | Style |
| Shop/Garage | 97 | 1939-40 | Easterday Construction | None |
| Catshed | 96 | ca. 1939 | BoR Employees | Pioneer |
| Quonset Office | 100 | 1946 | BoR Employees | Quonset |
| Quonset Storage | 91-93,98,118 | 1946 | BoR Employees | Quonset |
| Duplex | 106, 115 | 1939-40 | John A. Bell | BoR Permanent |
| Permanent Dwelling | * | 1939-40 | John A. Bell | BoR Permanent |
| Temporary Dwelling | ** | 1946-47 | John A. Bell | Prefabricated |
| * 108,110,111,112,113,114; ** 66-71,87-90,101-105, 117 |
|
Statement of Significance. It is recommended that site 5GA1893 is
significant under criteria A and C. The site is associated with the
early development of the Big Thompson Project and illustrates the
day-to-day operation of this significant engineering feat. The site also
contains several permanent and temporary standard buildings developed by
the Bureau of Reclamation. These exhibit locally unique methods of
construction.
Architectural Plans. Bureau of Reclamation Standard Plans for
Permanent Building Types 1 and 5, Prefabricated Building Plan, USDA
Forest Service Shadow Mountain village (site plan).
|
SITE SUMMARY
 |
Figure 51
Buckhorn Work Center
View to the Southwest |
Roll 3, Neg. 5
July 1993
|
5LR1862 Buckhorn Work Center (Ranger Station)
Estes/Poudre Ranger District
Roosevelt National Forest
|
| Building Name | Bldg. No. | Date | Builder | Style |
| Lrg. Bunkhouse | AR0501 | 1929-36 | Unknown | Bungalow |
| Asst. Dwelling | AR0502 | 1933 | CCC F-2-C | Bungalow |
| Sml. Bunkhouse | AR0503 | 1934 | CCC F-61-C | Bungalow |
| Office | AR0504 | 1939-40 | CCC F-66-C | Rustic |
| Garage/Shop | AR0505 | 1938-40 | CCC F-50-C | Rustic |
|
Statement of Significance. It is recommended that site 5LR1862 is
significant under criteria A and C. The site is associated with the
development and administration of the Roosevelt National Forest and the
CCC. The station's buildings reflect several eras of Forest Service
architectural design and evolution. The site has the most intact
concentration of pre-CCC-era frame administration buildings in Colorado,
and one CCC-era Rustic Style building.
Architectural Plans. Buckhorn Ranger Station Dwelling Plan D-7
(F5564; D3439), Combination Building (F6848), Barn (F4884), Mancos
Garage (F5829), Buckhorn Ranger Station Site Development Plan.
|
SITE SUMMARY
 |
Figure 52
Office/Former Dwelling
View to the North |
Roll 4, Neg. 9
July 1993
|
5LR1863 Estes Park Ranger Station (Headquarters)
Estes/Poudre Ranger District
Roosevelt National Forest
|
| Building Name | Bldg. No. | Date | Builder | Style |
| Office | 601 | 1939 | Anderson & Davidson | BoR Permanent |
| Small Dwelling | 602 | 1939 | Anderson & Davidson | BoR Permanent |
| Bunkhouse | 603 | 1939 | BoR Employees | Vernacular |
| Shop/Garage | 604 | 1939 | BoR Employees | Vernacular |
|
Statement of Significance. It is recommended that site
5LR1863 is significant under criteria A and C. The site is associated
with the early development and operation of the Big Thompson Project and
illustrates the day-to-day operation of this significant engineering
feat. The site also contains several permanent and temporary standard
buildings developed by the Bureau of Reclamation.
Architectural Plans. Bureau of Reclamation Standard Plans for
Permanent Building Types T7A-4; 11-5; Estes Park Headquarters General
Plan (245-D-466).
|
SITE SUMMARY
 |
Figure 53
Redfeather Ranger Station
Residence to right |
USFS R2 Files
W.O. 454759
July 1949
|
5LR1864 Redfeather (Lakes) Ranger Station
Redfeather Ranger District
Roosevelt National Forest
|
| Building Name | Bldg. No. | Date | Builder | Style |
| Admin. Bldg. | AR303 | 1937-39 | CCC F-50-C | Rustic |
| Dwelling | AR301 | 1937-39 | CCC F-50-C | Rustic |
| Ass't Dwelling | AR302 | 1941 | CCC |
|
| Garage | AR304 | 1937-38 | CCC F-50-C | Rustic |
|
Statement of Significance. It is recommended that site 5LR1864 is
significant under criteria A and C. The site is associated with the
recreational and administrative development of the Roosevelt National
Forest; it is a very well preserved and masterful example of CCC
construction. The site displays classic USFS layout characteristics and
is one of the best examples of a CCC-era rural ranger station in
Colorado.
Architectural Plans. Sunlight Ranger Station dwelling (F6021),
Big Creek Lakes dwelling (F7361), Redfeather Lakes combination building
(F6040), Mancos Garage/shop (F5829), Redfeather Site Development
Map.
|
SITE SUMMARY
 |
Figure 54
Former CCC Building at Rollinsville
Ranger Station |
USFS R2 Files
W.O. # 454755
July 1949
|
5GL696 Rollinsville Work Center
Boulder Ranger District
Roosevelt National Forest
|
| Building Name | Bldg. No. | Date | Builder | Style |
| Shop/Storage | AR703 | 1933-42 | CCC | CCC Temporary |
| Garage | AR706 | 1934-37 | CCC | Bungalow |
|
Statement of Significance. It is recommended that site 5GL696 is
not significant under criteria A or C. Though associated with the
development and administration of the Roosevelt National Forest and the
work of the CCC, this site is not particularly representative of a ranger
station of any era. Its only remaining original building can not convey
the feeling and character of a ranger station and is not architecturally
distinct. Better examples remain within Colorado.
Architectural Plans. Non-existent.
|
SITE SUMMARY
 |
Figure 55
Stub Creek Ranger
Station Layout |
USFS R2 Files
August 1938
|
5LR1865 Stub Creek Ranger Station
Redfeather Ranger District
Roosevelt National Forest
|
| Building Name | Bldg. No. | Date | Builder | Style |
| Dwelling | AR402 | 1936 | CCC F-50-C | Rustic |
| Garage | AR404 | 1939 | CCC F-50-C | Rustic |
|
Statement of Significance. It is recommended that site 5LR1865 is
significant under criteria A and C. The site is associated with the
recreational and administrative development of the Roosevelt National
Forest, and it is a relatively well preserved example of CCC
construction. The dwelling is significant for its construction. It
contains the first formal use of hewn faced log construction in Region
2, later to become a standard part of Rustic Style design.
Architectural Plans. Dwelling plan (F4852), Tensleep Barn/Garage
(F5491), Stub Creek Ranger Station Improvement Map (F6530).
|
colorado-nf/inventory1.htm
Last Updated: 15-Jan-2008
|