History
In the 1920s and 1930s, forest road networks were not well developed. To facilitate work in National Forests, the Forest Service built district ranger stations at strategic locations within the forest to house full-time employees and provide logistics support to fire patrols and project crews working at remote forest sites. After World War II, the Forest Service greatly expanded its road network, allowing employees to get to most forest areas within a few hours. As a result, many of the more isolated ranger stations were closed or converted to summer guard station.
The Cabin Lake Guard Station is located in the Deschutes National Forest forty miles southeast of Bend, Oregon. It was originally built as a district ranger station, and served as the headquarters for the Fort Rock Ranger District from 1921 until 1945. Throughout most of that time, there were five full-time rangers living and working at the site.
From 1934 to 1938, a Civilian Conservation Corps camp was located adjacent to the ranger station. The existing guard station buildings were constructed by Civilian Conservation Corps work crews during that time. The Civilian Conservation Corps built a total of seven buildings for the ranger station compound including ranger residences, a warehouse, maintenance shop, and a gas station. Six of the seven structures remain today. The seventh building was moved to another guard station after the ranger station was closed.
In 1945, the district headquarters was moved to Bend, and the ranger station was converted to a guard station. It was used as a bunkhouse and supply station for Forest Service fire crews that patrolled the surrounding forest during summer fire season. The Forest Service closed the guard station in 2002. Today, the guard station site is unoccupied. However, Forest Service archaeologists are working with volunteers to renovate the guard station facilities. Once the buildings are restored, the Forest Service may open two of the ranger residences for use as recreation rental cabins.
Because of the rustic architecture of the remaining six buildings and the site's unique historic value as an early Forest Service ranger station, the Cabin Lake Guard Station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.
Read more about this topic: Cabin Lake Guard Station
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