Nt»S Form 10-WO 0MB Mo. 10244018 (R*v M6) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Registration Form This form is for use in nominating or requesting determinations of eligibility for individual properties or districts. See instructions in Guidelines for Completing National Register Forms (National Register Bulletin 16). Complete each item by marking "x" in the appropriate box or by entering the requested information. If an item does not apply to the property being documented, enter "IM/A" for "not applicable." For functions, styles, materials, and areas of significance, enter only the categories and subcategories listed in the instructions. For additional space use continuation sheets (Form 10*900a). Type all entries. 1. Name of Property historic name walker Pass_____________________________________________________ other names/site number 2. Location street & number Highway 178, BLM Bakersfield District, USFS Sequoia NF not Tor publication city, town 60 miles east northeast of Bakersfield vicinity state California code county Kern code 029 zip code n/a 3. Classification Ownership of Property Category of Property Number of Resources wrthm Property { I private I I building(s) Contributing Noncontributing I 1 public-local 1 1 district ____ buildings i I public-State H site ____ sites HT1 public-Federal I I structure 9 structures I I object ____ objects 9 Total Name of related multiple property listing: Number of contributing resources previously n/a____________________ listed in the National Register n/a_____ 4. State/Federal Agency Certification As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, I hereby certify that this I ] nomination f~~l request for determination of eligibility meets the documentation standards for registering properties in the National Register of Historic Places and meets the procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60. In my opinion, the property D meets (HI does not meet the National Register criteria. LJSee continuation sheet. Signature of certifying official Date State or Federal agency and bureau In my opinion, the property LJmeets LJdoes not meet the National Register criteria. LJSee continuation sheet. Signature of commenting or other official Date State or Federal agency and bureau 5. National Park Service Certification I, hereby, certify that this property is: Qentered in the National Register. [~~\ See continuation sheet. j~~| determined eligible for the National Register. [~~1 See continuation sheet. I 1 determined not eligible for the National Register. I I removed from the National RegJ^ter. (explain:) _T WL>/_> 6. Function or Use o i iron Historic Functions (enter categories from instructions) Current Functions (enter categories from instructions) Transportation/pedestrian related___ Transportation/road related_________________ Transportation/other: trail___________ Recreation and culture/outdoor recreation Recreation and Culture/monument/marker 7. Description Architectural Classification Materials (enter categories from instructions) (enter categories from instructions) foundation n/a______________ n/a walls n/a roof n/a other n/a Describe present and historic physical appearance. NAMING OF THE PASS Walker Pass is named after Joseph R. Walker. John Charles Fremont suggested the name in 1844 when returning from his second expedition to California: "This pass, reported to be good, was discovered by Mr. Joseph Walker, of whom I have already spoken, and whose name it might, therefore, appropriately bear (Fremont 1988:248)". Other geographic features named after Joseph walker include Walker Lake (Mineral County, Nevada) and the Walker River (Douglas, Lyon and Mineral Counties, Nevada) (Bancroft 1886:V:765) which are neither National Historic Landmarks nor National Register properties. NATURAL SETTING Walker Pass (5,246 feet) is set in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains of California which were created by the uplift, tilting, and faulting of a massive granitic batholith along a roughly north by northwest to south by southwest axis (Oakeshott 1978). Mountain building began in the Mesozoic Era. In profile, the mountains rise gently toward the east, from California's Central Valley. From their apex the Sierra Nevada drop precipitously into Great Basin valley systems. In the vicinity of Walker Pass the southern Sierra hook to the southwest, lessen in comparative elevation, and present a gradient from the west comparatively more severe than that of the more northerly sierra Nevada. Walker Pass is one of a number of sierra Nevada passes that link the Great Basin and Mojave Desert with interior California and the Pacific Coast. Walker Pass runs northwest by southeast between a symmetrical conical peak (6,366 feet) to the northeast and a set of three smaller, rounded, asymmetrical peaks (5,403 — 5,509 feet) to the southwest (see photos 1—4). The set of smaller peaks rise out of the same base. The Pass is straight and offers a broad view to the southeast down Freeman Canyon to the Indian Wells Valley (2,500 - 3,000 feet) (see photo 5). Intermittent streams originate on both approaches to walker Pass, at an elevation of approximately 5,200 feet. A spring rises approximately 3/4 of a mile down the northwest gradient of the Pass in the immediate vicinity of the Bureau of Land Management Walker Pass Trailhead/campground (Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail) adjacent to State Highway 178. Mean annual precipitation ranges from approximately 5 to 10 inches per year (Oakeshott 1978). Joseph R. Walker and his companions encountered moderate to heavy snow fields in their passages of early Spring 1834 and December 1843. GO See continuation sheet 8. Statement of Significance Certifying official has considered the significance of this property in rotation to other properties: H nationally [D statewide f~l locally Applicable National Register Criteria FxlB I lc I ID Criteria Considerations (Exceptions) HUB QC CUD CUE Areas of Significance (enter categories from instructions) Period of Significance Significant Dates Exploration/Settlement 1834-1845 1834,1843,1845 Cultural Affiliation n/a Significant Person Architect/Builder walker, Joseph Rutherford n/a State significance of property, and justify criteria, criteria considerations, and areas and periods of significance noted above. INTRODUCTION Walker Pass qualifies as a National Register Property and was declared a National Historic Landmark (36 CFR 65) in 1961 by virtue of its association with Joseph R. Walker, a person significant in our past, and Walker's use of the Pass for actions that contributed significantly to the exploration and settlement of California by the United States of America in the years 1834, 1843, and 1845 (National Register Criteria A and B; National Historic Landmark Criteria 1 and 2). As a Landmark, Walker Pass has been categorized by Theme, Sub—theme and Facet as follows: X. Westward Expansion of the British Colonies and the United States, 1763-1898 B. The Fur Trade 2. Fur Trappers and Mountain Men as Pathfinders (National Park Service 1987:111—20). For the purpose of this study, a specific historic context is established within which the subsequent presentation of significant events, comparison of properties, and Joseph walker's life can be placed. continuation sheet 9. Major Bibliographical References NOV 011889 1x1 See continuation sheet Previous documentation on file (NFS): I I preliminary determination of individual listing (36 CFR 67) Primary location of additional data: has been requested I 1 State historic preservation office Fxl previously listed in the National Register . Other State agency I I previously determined eligible by the National Register _x_ Federal agency [x] designated a National Historic Landmark . Local government { I recorded by Historic American Buildings I I University Survey # __________________________ CU Other I I recorded by Historic American Engineering Specify repository: Record #__________________________ NFS, Western Regional office 10. Geographical Data Acreage of property 111.4 acres UTM References A I li ll I 4 I 0 I 7 16 I 8 I 0 I I 3i 9l 4i 7J 4i 81 ol B Ilill |4|0|7|3|8|5| |3i 9| 4, 6\ 3i 4i Q| Zone Easting Northing Zone Easting Northing C I ll ll I 4[ Oi7| OiOiOl 1 3i 9l 4i 6J 5l 81 8\ D Ilill |4| 0| 6| 6,2, 5| | 3t 9J 4i 6J 5i 81 9J f~l See continuation sheet Verbal Boundary Description Refer to the drawn boundaries on the enclosed USGS Walker Pass, CA 7.5' quadrangle. Briefly, the boundaries of Walker Pass create a quadrilateral. The sides of the quadrilateral are defined as follows with reference to the enclosed map. fx] See continuation sheet Boundary Justification The Landmark is a mountain pass and the boundaries are based on geographic points which minimally, but adequately, define the Pass. To the northeast the Pass is defined by a single peak (6,366 feet). To the southwest the pass is defined by three peaks (5,403 — 5,509 feet) of a ridge. >ee continuation sheet 11. Form Prepared By name/title Mark O. Rudo, Archeoloqist nrganir^tinn National Park Service, WRO date September 26, 1989 street & number 450 Golden Gate Avenue, Box 36063 telephone (415) 556-5190 city or town San Francisco state California zio code 94102 10t*001t 0! United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number __z__ Page _2__ Vegetation at the pass is characteristic of an arid or semidesert climate. Ground cover is sparse and soils are sandy. The Pass itself appears to be transitional between a Lower Sonoran Desert life zone exhibiting Joshua tree and bursage (northeastern side and southeastern approach), and a Great Basin lifezone exhibiting sporadic pine and juniper (southwestern side and northwestern approach). Historic changes in vegetation patterns may have resulted from the introduction of livestock (sheep and cattle) and fire control by Federal land managing agencies. ETHNO-HISTORIC SETTING Walker Pass is located within an area once transitional between the boundaries of the Kawaiisu and Tubatulabal Native American peoples.