Forest Service Guard Station

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A United States Forest Service Guard Station is an administrative building located in a National Forest in the United States which is not at the same location as the District Ranger's headquarters (the Ranger Station). They usually have office and workshop space, tool storage and often sleeping quarters. Fire, trail, road and other work crews are frequently stationed at these sites during busy times of the year.

United States Forest Service federal forest and grassland administrators

The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass 193 million acres (780,000 km2). Major divisions of the agency include the National Forest System, State and Private Forestry, Business Operations, and the Research and Development branch. Managing approximately 25% of federal lands, it is the only major national land agency that is outside the U.S. Department of the Interior.

United States National Forest classification of federal lands in the United States

National Forest is a classification of protected and managed federal lands in the United States. National Forests are largely forest and woodland areas owned collectively by the American people through the federal government, and managed by the United States Forest Service, a division of the United States Department of Agriculture.

Casa Vieja Guard Station, Golden Trout Wilderness, Inyo National Forest, Mount Whitney Ranger District, circa 1976. Built in 1959. Casa Vieja GS.jpg
Casa Vieja Guard Station, Golden Trout Wilderness, Inyo National Forest, Mount Whitney Ranger District, circa 1976. Built in 1959.

History

In the 1920s and 1930s, Forest Service employees often traveled many miles from local ranger stations to forest work sites. Since the forest road networks were not well developed, getting to a job site meant a long trek, carrying all the equipment needed to perform the field work. This made it impractical for employees to make daily round trips. To facilitate work at remote sites, the Forest Service built guard stations at strategic locations throughout the forest to house fire patrols and project crews. [1]

After World War II, the Forest Service greatly expanded its road network, allowing employees to get to most National Forest areas within a few hours. As a result, guard stations lost their utility. The Forest Service found new uses for some stations, but many were demolished or abandoned. In the 1990s, historic preservation groups with the support of Forest Service employees began pressing National Forest managers to preserve the remaining structures. To finance the preservation effort the Forest Service started renting some guard stations to the public. [1]

World War II 1939–1945 global war

World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. The vast majority of the world's countries—including all the great powers—eventually formed two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis. A state of total war emerged, directly involving more than 100 million people from over 30 countries. The major participants threw their entire economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities behind the war effort, blurring the distinction between civilian and military resources. World War II was the deadliest conflict in human history, marked by 50 to 85 million fatalities, most of whom were civilians in the Soviet Union and China. It included massacres, the genocide of the Holocaust, strategic bombing, premeditated death from starvation and disease, and the only use of nuclear weapons in war.

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Park ranger profession

A park ranger, park warden, or forest ranger is a person entrusted with protecting and preserving parklands – national, state, provincial, or local parks. "Parks" may be broadly defined by some systems in this context, and include protected culturally or historically important built environments, and is not limited to the natural environment. Different countries use different names for the position. Warden is the favored term in Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. Within the United States, the National Park Service refers to the position as a park ranger. The U.S. Forest Service refers to the position as a forest ranger. Other countries use the term park warden or game warden to describe this occupation. The profession includes a number of disciplines and specializations, and park rangers are often required to be proficient in more than one.

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Antlers Guard Station building in Oregon, United States

The Antlers Guard Station is a rustic cabin located in the Wallowa–Whitman National Forest in northeastern Oregon, United States. It was originally built to house fire crews assigned to patrol the surrounding National Forest. Since the 1990s, the United States Forest Service rents Antlers Guard Station and other forest cabins and lookout stations to recreational visitors. The Antlers Guard Station is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Musick Guard Station

The Musick Guard Station is a rustic cabin located in the Umpqua National Forest in western Oregon, United States. It was originally built to house fire crews assigned to patrol the surrounding National Forest. In the 1990s, the United States Forest Service began renting Musick Guard Station to recreational visitors. The Musick Guard Station is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Imnaha Guard Station historic ranger station in Rogue River National Forest, Oregon, USA

The Imnaha Guard Station is a rustic cabin located in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest in western Oregon, United States. It was originally built to house fire crews assigned to patrol the surrounding National Forest. In the 1990s, the United States Forest Service began renting the Imnaha Guard Station to recreational visitors. The Imnaha Guard Station is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Bagby Guard Station historic government building in Oregon, USA

Bagby Guard Station is a rustic cabin located in the Mount Hood National Forest in western Oregon, United States. It is adjacent to Bagby Hot Springs. The guard station was originally built to house fire crews assigned to patrol the surrounding National Forest. The Bagby Guard Station is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Cabin Lake Guard Station

The Cabin Lake Guard Station is a Forest Service compound consisting of six simple rustic buildings located in the Deschutes National Forest in central Oregon. It was originally built as a district ranger station for the Fort Rock Ranger District. It was later converted to a summer guard station. The guard station is now closed, but the adjacent campground is open. While still very remote, it is a popular location for bird watching and nature photography. The Cabin Lake Guard Station is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Purple Point-Stehekin Ranger Station House National Park Service ranger residence

The Purple Point-Stehekin Ranger Station House is a National Park Service ranger residence located in the Lake Chelan National Recreation Area of northern Washington. The building was built at Purple Point above Lake Chelan in the small, unincorporated community of Stehekin, Washington. It was originally constructed by the United States Forest Service to serve as the residence for the Stehekin District ranger. The Forest Service later converted it into a summer guard station. The building was transferred to the National Park Service in 1968 when the Lake Chelan National Recreation Area was established. The Purple Point-Stehekin Ranger Station House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Clackamas Lake Ranger Station Historic District

The Clackamas Lake Ranger Station Historic District is a Forest Service compound consisting of eleven historic buildings located in the Mount Hood National Forest in the Cascade Mountains of northern Oregon. It was originally built as a district ranger station for the Clackamas Lake Ranger District. It was later converted to a summer guard station. Today, the Forest Service rents the historic ranger's residence to recreational visitors. The Clackamas Lake Ranger Station is listed as a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places.

Willow Prairie Cabin

The Willow Prairie Cabin is a rustic one-room cabin located in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest in western Oregon, United States. It was built by a road construction crew in 1924. When the road was finished the United States Forest Service began using it to house fire crews assigned to patrol the surrounding National Forest. The Forest Service now rents the cabin to recreational visitors. The Willow Prairie Cabin is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Rand Ranger Station building in Oregon, United States

The Rand Ranger Station is a Bureau of Land Management compound consisting of eight historic buildings located in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest in southwest Oregon. It was built by the United States Forest Service and the Civilian Conservation Corps as a district ranger station for the Galice Ranger District. The ranger station property was transferred to the Bureau of Land Management in 1970. Today, the ranger station office serves as a visitor center. The Rand Ranger Station is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Allison Ranger Station building in Oregon, United States

The Allison Ranger Station is a Forest Service compound consisting of eight rustic buildings located in the Malheur National Forest in the Ochoco Mountains of eastern Oregon. It was originally built as a district ranger station for the Snow Mountain Ranger District. It was later converted to a summer guard station. Today, it is an active Forest Service guard station with a crew of twelve fire fighters on station during the summer fire season. The ranger station's oldest building, the Donnelly Cabin, is currently listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Most of the other buildings at the Allison Ranger Station are eligible for historic designation, but are not yet listed on the national register.

Bly Ranger Station architectural structure

The Bly Ranger Station is a United States Forest Service compound that serves as the headquarters for the Bly Ranger District which is an administrative subdivision of the Fremont National Forest. It is located in the small unincorporated community of Bly in southcentral Oregon. The ranger station was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps between 1936 and 1942. Today, the seven original buildings are still used by the Bly Ranger District. The compound was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district in 1981.

Zigzag Ranger Station

The Zigzag Ranger Station is a Forest Service compound consisting of twenty rustic buildings located in Oregon's Mount Hood National Forest. It was built as the administrative headquarters for the Zigzag Ranger District. It is located in the small unincorporated community of Zigzag, Oregon. Many of the historic buildings were constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps between 1933 and 1942. Today, the Forest Service still uses the ranger station as the Zigzag Ranger District headquarters. The ranger station is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Paulina Lake Guard Station

The Paulina Lake Guard Station is a Forest Service building located in the Newberry National Volcanic Monument in Central Oregon. The guard station was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps to house the seasonal assistant ranger responsible for patrolling the forest around Paulina Lake. Because of its rustic architecture, the guard station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.

Tiller Ranger Station

The Tiller Ranger Station is a United States Forest Service compound consisting of twenty-seven buildings in Oregon’s Umpqua National Forest. Over the years, it has been the administrative headquarters for five ranger districts. It is located in the small unincorporated community of Tiller, Oregon, United States. The historic structures were built in the rustic style by the Civilian Conservation Corps between 1935 and 1942. Today, the ranger station is the headquarters for the Tiller Ranger District, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Unity Ranger Station

The Unity Ranger Station is a United States Forest Service compound consisting of five buildings and a lookout tower in the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest of northeastern Oregon. For many years, it was the administrative headquarters for the Unity Ranger District. It is located in the small unincorporated community of Unity, Oregon. The historic structures were built in the rustic style by the Civilian Conservation Corps between 1936 and 1938. Today, the ranger station is only used during the summer months to house Forest Service fire crews. The ranger station is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Architects of the United States Forest Service are credited with the design of many buildings and other structures in National Forests. Some of these are listed on the National Register of Historic Places due to the significance of their architecture. A number of these architectural works are attributed to architectural groups within the Forest Service rather than to any individual architect. Architecture groups or sections were formed within engineering divisions of many of the regional offices of the Forest Service and developed regional styles.

Copper Creek Guard Station built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1935

The Copper Creek Guard Station was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1935. It is located in a very remote area, near Black Canyon City, Arizona, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993 for its architecture. It was designed by the USDA Forest Service in Bungalow/Craftsman style. It served historically as a camp and as a government office. The NRHP listing included two contributing buildings on 4 acres (1.6 ha).

Lake of the Woods Ranger Station

The Lake of the Woods Ranger Station is a United States Forest Service compound consisting of eight buildings overlooking Lake of the Woods in the Fremont-Winema National Forests of southern Oregon. All of the ranger station structures were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps between 1937 and 1939. Today, the compound serves as a Forest Service work center, and the old ranger station office is a visitor center. The ranger station is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

References

  1. 1 2 Jacoby, Jayson, "Rustic Forest Service cabins available for rent", Baker City Herald , Baker City, Oregon, 28 January 2013.
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