Munson Valley Historic District - Structures

Structures

There are eighteen primary structures in the Munson Valley Historic District. While most of the buildings have been remodeled, they still reflect the rustic style of architecture which is the common design theme that makes the Munson Valley headquarters complex historically unique.

Munson Valley Historic District extends south from the Superintendent's Residence and ends at the park warehouse at the north end of the maintenance area. The eighteen historic structures were built between 1926 and 1949. They include the, from north to south, the Superintendent's Residence, the park Naturalist's Residence, a cluster of staff residence cabins, the Administration Building, Ranger Dormitory, Transformer Building, Comfort Station, Mess Hall, Warehouse, and Machine Shop.

• The park Superintendent's Residence is located at north end of headquarters area. It was constructed in 1933. The building’s footprint is 33 by 61 feet (10 m × 18.6 m) with a rustic stone superstructure and wood-shake roof. The first floor includes an entry hall, living room with lava-rock fireplace, a dining room, kitchen, and bedroom with adjoining bathroom. The second floor has four additional bedrooms and two bathrooms. The building was framed in Douglas fir and the roof covered with cedar shakes. The Crater Lake Superintendent's Residence is a U.S. National Historic Landmark and is individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP #87001347). Today, the building houses part of the park’s Science and Learning Center.
• The park Naturalist's Residence is located between the Superintendent's Residence and the other employee houses near the north end of the historic district. The building’s footprint is the same as the Superintendent's Residence; however, the floor plan is slightly different. This first floor contained a living room with stone fireplace, a kitchen, breakfast room, bedroom, and bathroom. There are three additional bedrooms and a bath room upstairs. Today, the building houses part of the park’s Science and Learning Center.

• The historic district also includes six rustic stone Employee Cottages built for park staff between 1927 and 1931. These housing units are designated as buildings #24, 25, 28, 30, 31, and 32. They are architecturally significant because they were part of the original Munson Valley headquarters master plan, and were constructed in the rustic style using native stone and timber. While aluminum roofs were added in the mid-1950s, these units still retain their original character.
• The park Administration Building was built with a rough stone first story with rustic superstructure. It is 100 feet (30 m) long and 40 feet (12 m) wide. The main entrance led into a public lobby with a large fireplace and wood-paneled walls. Offices for the superintendent, assistant superintendent, comptroller, and information department were also on the first floor along with a large 42 by 15 feet (12.8 m × 4.6 m) room for the park’s clerical staff. The second floor has six additional offices and two storage rooms.
• The Ranger Dormitory was begun in 1932, but was not finished until 1936 due to lack of funds. It is constructed of native stone and timber. Originally, the first floor had an entry hall, men’s and women’s bathrooms, and two living rooms, each with its own stone fireplace. The larger living room, located in the north end of the building, was for men. A smaller living room plus three other rooms and a shower at the south end of the building were for women. The second floor had four bedrooms, a large 18 by 34 foot (5.5 m × 10.4 m) dormitory room, a dark room, storage room, and men’s shower. There is also a basement under the central portion of the building. Today, the National Park Service uses the building as its main visitor center. The William G. Steel Information Center is open to the public year-round. Visitor to the park can obtain general information, park maps, and backcountry permits at the center. The center has exhibits and an audio-visual program. First aid care is also available at the center.

The historic district also includes various utility buildings including a mess hall, meat house, transformer building, comfort station (later converted to a sign shop), warehouse, and machine shop. These buildings all share common structural design elements that typify the park’s rustic style of architecture including massive stone masonry, rough-sawn board siding, stained timber beams, dormer windows, and steep pitched roofs.

• • Stone drinking fountain
• • Ranger mess hall
• • Supply warehouse
• • Park machine shop

At Munson Valley, rustic structures successfully blend with the natural environment. The buildings in the historic district are excellent examples of the rustic style of architecture, and represent one of the National Park Service's most successful development programs. In addition, the landscape surrounding the historic district remains virtually intact. As a result, the Munson Valley Historic District is significant as an expression of American naturalistic design.