United States Department of Agriculture Commodious Cabins & Forest Service Intermountain Region Handsome Structures MANTI-LA SAL NATIONAL FOREST MAY 2013 Administrative Facilities of the Manti-La Sal National Forest, 1905-1962 Historic Context Statement & Evaluations, Forest Service Report No. ML-13-1437 Cover: Ranger David Williams with his family at the Clay Springs Ranger Station, 1908 “A commodious cabin is being built, and other improvements which will be made will make the station a very convenient one.” – “Building New Ranger Station on Wilson Mesa,” Times Independent, November 18, 1920, 1 The new Moab building “is a handsome structure and affords ample space for the supervisor’s office. eventually the forest headquarters will be one of the most attractive locations in town.” – “Forest Service In New Building,” Times Independent, September 12, 1940, 1. Commodious Cabins and Handsome Structures Administrative Facilities of the Manti-La Sal National Forest, 1905-1962 Historic Context Statement and Evaluations Forest Service Report No. ML-13-1437 By Richa Wilson Regional Architectural Historian USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Region 324 25th Street Ogden, UT 84401 May 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE .................................................................................................................................................. V CHAPTER 1: OVERVIEW ........................................................................................................................... 1 SPATIAL BOUNDARIES ....................................................................................................................................................... 1 TEMPORAL BOUNDARIES .................................................................................................................................................. 4 HISTORICAL SETTING ......................................................................................................................................................... 4 Settlement ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Resource Impacts .......................................................................................................................................................... 6 Post-Forest Challenges.................................................................................................................................................. 7 CHAPTER 2: EVOLUTIONS OF THE FORESTS ........................................................................................... 10 THE FIRST FOREST RESERVES .......................................................................................................................................... 10 MANTI NATIONAL FOREST, 1903-1949 .......................................................................................................................... 10 MONTICELLO FOREST RESERVE, 1907-1908 .................................................................................................................. 13 LA SAL NATIONAL FOREST, 1906-1949 ........................................................................................................................... 13 MANTI-LA SAL NATIONAL FOREST, 1949-PRESENT ....................................................................................................... 17 PERSONNEL ...................................................................................................................................................................... 18 CHAPTER 3: NEW DEAL PROGRAMS ...................................................................................................... 21 OVERVIEW ........................................................................................................................................................................ 21 CCC PROJECTS .................................................................................................................................................................. 22 CCC CAMP HISTORIES ...................................................................................................................................................... 24 Joes Valley Camp F-10................................................................................................................................................. 24 Ferron Camp F-11 ....................................................................................................................................................... 25 Warner Camp F-20 ...................................................................................................................................................... 26 Gooseberry Camp F-28 ............................................................................................................................................... 26 Mayfield Camp F-39 .................................................................................................................................................... 26 Indian Creek Camp F-41/SCS-8 ................................................................................................................................... 27 Seely Creek Camp F-50 ............................................................................................................................................... 29 Moab Camp PE-214/SCS-6 ......................................................................................................................................... 29 CHAPTER 4: NURSERIES & FIRE .............................................................................................................. 31 NURSERIES ........................................................................................................................................................................ 31 FIRE MANAGEMENT ........................................................................................................................................................ 32 CHAPTER 5: SUPERVISOR’S OFFICES ...................................................................................................... 34 MANTI SUPERVISOR’S OFFICE ......................................................................................................................................... 34 LA SAL SUPERVISOR’S OFFICE .......................................................................................................................................... 35 MANTI-LA SAL SUPERVISOR’S OFFICE ............................................................................................................................. 36 CHAPTER 6: SANPETE RANGER DISTRICT ............................................................................................... 37 NAMES & CONFIGURATIONS .......................................................................................................................................... 37 DISTRICT HEADQUARTERS ............................................................................................................................................... 38 ADMINISTRATIVE SITES ................................................................................................................................................... 39 Ephraim Warehouse Site ............................................................................................................................................ 39 Great Basin Experiment Station ................................................................................................................................. 41 Manti Dwelling Site ..................................................................................................................................................... 46 Moroni Guard Station ................................................................................................................................................. 47 Mt. Baldy Ranger Station ............................................................................................................................................ 48 Mt. Pleasant Dwelling Site .......................................................................................................................................... 50 Pinchot Guard Station ................................................................................................................................................. 50 Twelve Mile Forks Ranger Station .............................................................................................................................. 51 COMMODIOUS CABINS & HANDSOME STRUCTURES i Other Administrative Sites ......................................................................................................................................... 51 Blue Meadow Ranger Station ............................................................................................................................... 51 Ephraim Cattlemen's Association Stock Corral Site ............................................................................................. 51 Fairview-Milburn Cattle Association Corral Site .................................................................................................. 51 Manti Stock Association Corral Site .....................................................................................................................