Williams Ranch Historic Structure Report, Guadalupe Mountains National Park
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HISTORIC STRUCTURE REPORT WILLIAMS RANCH GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK Drachman Institute | Heritage Conservation College of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape Architecture The University of Arizona In conjunction with: Desert Southwest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (DS-CESU) June 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS Project Team .....................................................................................................................................ii Executive Summary .........................................................................................................................iv Project Data ..................................................................................................................................... vi Location and Access ........................................................................................................................ vii Chronology of Development and Use ............................................................................................2 Context and Early History .................................................................................................. 2 Construction/Owners and Residents ................................................................................. 3 Recent History and Park Development .............................................................................. 6 Park Management/Development and Resource Plans ....................................................... 7 Modifications and Rehabilitations ......................................................................................12 Physical Description and Conditions Assessment .........................................................................22 Summary ..............................................................................................................................23 Site/Setting ...........................................................................................................................25 Exterior ................................................................................................................................ 28 Foundation and Crawl Space .................................................................................33 Exterior Cladding .................................................................................................. 39 Windows and Doors .............................................................................................. 44 Roof ........................................................................................................................ 49 North Porch ............................................................................................................55 West Porch ..............................................................................................................60 Interior ................................................................................................................................ 64 Bedroom .................................................................................................................67 Foyer ...................................................................................................................... 72 Parlor ..................................................................................................................... 75 Kitchen ...................................................................................................................81 Pantry/Washroom ................................................................................................. 87 Historic Preservation Objectives and Use ...................................................................................... 93 Recommended Improvements ............................................................................................94 Recommendations and Requirements for Treatments ...................................................... 98 Alternatives For Treatment ............................................................................................................ 99 Sources .............................................................................................................................................100 Appendices ...................................................................................................................................... 101 A. National Register of Historic Places nomination .......................................................... 102 B. 2009 HABS Condition Assessment................................................................................. 133 C. The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Preservation ...........................................144 D. The Secretary of the Interior’s Guidelines for Preserving Historic Buildings ..............145 HISTORIC STRUCTURE REPORT - WILLIAMS RANCH - GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK i PROJECT TEAM This Historic Structure Report was carried out between the National Park Service (NPS) and The University of Arizona (UA) through the Desert Southwest Cooperative Ecosystem Study Unit (DS- CESU) Joint Ventures Agreement. Principal Investigator R. Brooks Jeffery Drachman Institute | Heritage Conservation College of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape Architecture The University of Arizona Project Director Allison Kennedy Drachman Institute | Heritage Conservation College of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape Architecture The University of Arizona Graduate Student Assistant Barry Price Steinbrecher Drachman Institute | Heritage Conservation College of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape Architecture The University of Arizona Contributing Author Susan Bartlet Drachman Institute | Heritage Conservation College of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape Architecture The University of Arizona ATR Karl Pierce Chief of Interpretation Guadalupe Mountains National Park Resource Expert Bert Rader Cultural Resources Program Manager Guadalupe Mountains National Park ii HISTORIC STRUCTURE REPORT - WILLIAMS RANCH - GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK INTRODUCTION HISTORIC STRUCTURE REPORT - WILLIAMS RANCH - GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK iii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Williams Ranch Historic Structure Report is meant to assess the existing conditions of the building and make recommendations to guide future preservation treatments and management. The report presents both chronological and physical information, collected through archival research and field documentation, to provide a cohesive point of reference on the resource. While there are additional historic resources associated with ranching activities located at the Williams Ranch site, only the house is included within the scope of this report. The significance of the structure, the chronology of use, and management goals were all considered when developing recommendations. Background The Williams Ranch house was built in 1908 using both materials hauled from Van Horn, Texas and locally procured stone. The historical record suggests the ranch house was commissioned by Robert Belcher; however, it was his brother, Henry, along with his wife and daughter who settled there. The family established a longhorn ranching operation at the site. Around 1917 the property was transferred to James Adolphous “Dolph” Williams, who raised cattle, sheep, and goats and farmed on a small scale until 1941. Faced with harsh economic and environmental conditions, Williams sold the property to J. C. Hunter. Williams died in New Mexico in 1942.1 After the Guadalupe Mountains National Park was authorized in 1966, J.C. Hunter Jr. sold his extensive land holdings, including the Williams Ranch site, to the Department of the Interior, expanding the size of the park. The park was formally established in 1972, and the Williams Ranch has been maintained by the National Park Service since then. The Williams Ranch house is one of few remnants of the historic ranching operations in the area.2 In addition to its association with longhorn ranching and the broad social patterns brought on by the Dust Bowl Era , the ranch house is significant due to its unique architectural style. Architecture – Style and Materials The architectural style is Victorian but contains vernacular elements, including incorporation of local materials. The single-story house has an L-shaped floor plan and sits on a stone foundation. The thin walls are of box-and-strip construction finished with Boston clinker siding. The gabled roof is finished with wood shingles. A covered porch protrudes from the north façade and a screened-porch is incorporated into the west side of the house. Decorative trim and lathed posts on the north porch are Victorian elements that add character. On the interior, the simple vertical wood plank walls and ceilings were hung with ornately patterned wallpaper, a character-defining feature. The geology of the Capitan Reef and Forebasin contributed to the building’s appearance and construction. The construction of the foundation is of local sandstone is important in terms of character, as it anchors 1 Fabry K. Judith. Guadalupe Mountains National Park: An Administrative History. Southwest Regional Resources Center. National Park Service, Santa Fe, NM. December 1988. p.175.; National Park Service, Draft General Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement. Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas. 2008. p. 182. 2 Ibid. p.175 iv HISTORIC STRUCTURE REPORT - WILLIAMS RANCH - GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK the structure to the site