The Columbine Ranger Station garage is an element of a National Register thematic group entitled "Depression-Era USDA Forest Service Administrative Complexes in Arizona" The station is significant for its association with the expansion of Forest Service administration from custodial superintendence to active resource management. Built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, it reflects the role of the Forest Service in relieving unemployment during the Depression. It is also significant because it embodies the use of standard plan architecture developed by Forest Service architects and represents a distinctive Forest Service design style (Cameron and Spoerl .. AV'K-.s: ^si'> ! COLUMBINE RANGER STATION, GARAGE {Columbine Work Center, Garage) HABS No. AZ-160-B (Page 2) PART I.
HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Physical History 1. Date of erection: Circa (USDA Forest Service, Coronado N. F. cultural resources files). The Columbine Civilian Conservation Corps camp was located about five miles south of the station. The camp was first occupied in the summer of and it is likely that camp enrollees built the garage in the following summer. During a roof replacement project, was found inscribed in the roofing material of the nearby residence (Cameron and Spoerl 2. Architect: USDA Forest Service, Region 3 3. Original and subsequent owners: The Columbine garage has been the property of the USDA Forest Service, since its construction {USDA Forest Service, Coronado N. F. Lands files). When constructed, it was an element of the seasonal ranger headquarters for the Mt.
Graham Ranger District of the Crook National Forest. The Mt. Graham Ranger District became part of the Safford Ranger District of the Coronado National Forest when the Crook was disestablished circa 4. Builder, contractor, supplier: USDA Forest Service; Civilian Conservation Corps 5. Original plans and construction: The garage was not constructed according to a standard plan, and no drawings are extant on the Coronado. The garage is a five-room rectangular building, one story in height. The foundation is poured concrete, the frame is nailed wood, and the roof is a side-gable type of medium pitch. Exterior walls are board-and-batten, and the roof is shingled. Windows are generally six-light swinging sash, arranged in groups of three.
There are two groups on the north end and three groups on the west rear. There is also a four-light fixed sash window on the east front. There are three X-braced garage bay doors with six lights on the east front, plus a board-and-batten door. There is an X-braced door on the south end, plus two open mangers. There is an X-braced door with a four-light window on the west rear. COLUMBINE RANGER STATION, GARAGE (Columbine Work Station, Garage) HABS No. AZ-160-B {Page 3) 6. Alterations and additions: Tack room door on east front is a post-19^7 addition, as it does not appear in a photo of that date (Photograph B. Historical Context: A recreation plan (USDA Forest Service, Coronado National Forest) describes the Columbine Ranger Station as consisting of the residence and garage.
The station was the summer headquarters for the Mt. Graham District Ranger. The Columbine Guard Cabin was described as "adjacent" to the Ranger Station, but administratively was considered a separate site. Following various buildings were built in the vicinity, supporting the more active management role assumed by the Forest Service. Some were constructed in place, others were moved to the station from locations such as the Columbine CCC camp. The guard cabin lost its distinct administrative identity during this period, as buildings were added in the vicinity of both sites. Currently, the Columbine Work Station includes seven other major buildings in addition to the garage and residence: three cabins, two storage sheds, a fuel storage building and a shower building.
Two latrines are also present. The Mt. Graham Ranger District is usually said to have been incorporated into the Coronado National Forest when the Crook National Forest was disestablished in or (Wilson Tucker However, the recreation plan cited above is titled "Coronado National Forest, Crook Addition." It appears that the Forest Service had administratively realigned the Forests during the with Congressional recognition of the transfers occurring in the COLUMBINE RANGER STATION, GARAGE (Columbine Work Station, Garage) HABS No. AZ-160-B (Page 4) but existing files are silent on the details.
Little else is known about the history of the station or its buildings, as individual building historical records were never prepared or have been lost, and no comprehensive administrative history of the station has been compiled. PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION A. General Statement: 1. Architectural character: While essentially a vernacular building of simple construction, the garage displays several elements of Forest Service architectural design. Native materials, gabled roofs and multi-paned windows were widely employed by the Forest Service during the Depression. Wood structural members, siding, and roofs were believed to be responsive to and appropriate for forested environments.
Gabled roofs were common, and were adapted to the prevailing precipitation conditions; pitch was adjusted to total precipitation and snow loads. Multi-paned windows decorated as well as illuminated the Region's buildings, and had the incidental effect of recalling the Nation's historic roots by reflecting an element of Georgian architecture. 2. Condition of fabric: Remaining original fabric consists of structural members, siding, roofing, interior finish and windows. Description of Exterior: 1. Overall dimensions: 56 x 21 feet 2. Foundation: Poured concrete 3. Walls: Board-and-batten COLUMBINE RANGER STATION, GARAGE (Columbine Work Station, Garage) HABS No. AZ-160-B {Page 5) 4. Structural systems, framing: Wood frame construction of 2 x 6 inch members, Zh inches on center. 5.
Porches, stoops, balconies, bulkheads: None 6. Chimneys: Metal, centered on west rear 7. Openings: a. Doorways and doors: Three double garage doors with six lights offset to right on east front. One board-and-batten door offset to left on east front. One X-braced door offset to right on south end, two open mangers. One X-braced door with four lights offset to right on west rear. b. Windows and shutters: One six-light fixed sash window on east front. Louvered vent under gable on south end. Six-light swinging-sash windows on west rear in three groups of three. Six-light swinging-sash windows on north end in two groups of three. Louvered vent under gable on north end. # 8. Roof: a. Shape, covering: End-gable with shingles b.
Cornice, eaves: Eaves with exposed rafters, east front and west rear c. Dormers, cupolas, towers: None COLUMBINE RANGER STATION, GARAGE (Columbine Work Station, Garage) HABS No. AZ-160-B (Page 6) C. Description of interior: 1. Floor plan: Rectangular 2. Stairways: None 3. Flooring: Poured concrete slab 4. Wall and ceiling finish: Exterior walls unfinished. Partition walls finished with false bevel siding. 5. Openings: a. Doorways and doors: Panel doors between workshop and tool storage rooms, panel doors to interior storage rooms. b. Windows: Flush frames 6. Decorative features and trim: None 7. Hardware: Strap hinges and hasp-and-padlock closures on exterior doors. 8. Mechanical equipment: a. Heating, air conditioning, ventilation: Wood stove b. Lighting: Incandescent, with bare bulbs c.
Plumbing: None d. Other equipment: None 9. Original furnishings: None COLUMBINE RANGER STATION, GARAGE (Columbine Work Station, Garage) HABS No. AZ-160-B (Page 7) D. Site: 1. General setting: The Columbine Ranger Station is located on the crest of the Pinaleno Mountains near Soldier Creek in an area of dense pine forest, with a meadow adjacent to the northwest. The Swift Trail, Arizona Highway is a gravel road running to the north of the site. There are no other developments visible from the site. Corrals with metal fences formed from inch square tubing adjoin the barn on the south and west. These are of post-Depression origin. 2. Historic landscape design: There is no formal landscape design.
The existing administrative site layout conforms to Forest Service design principles in a general way, by placing the service buildings to the rear of the site, but does not show the clear separation into office, residential and service areas that characterizes many other administrative sites. 3. Outbuildings: The garage can be considered an outbuilding of the Ranger Station residence, which lies nearby to the north. In addition to the residence, the existing landscape includes nine other major and minor buildings, including three cabins, two storage buildings, a fuel storage building, a shower house, and two latrines. None of the latter are located within the National Register boundary for the Columbine Work Station. PART III. SOURCES OF INFORMATION A.
Architectural drawings: None found B. Historic views: None C. Interviews: None D.
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