Grand Canyon Lodge, Western Quadraplex Cabin, North Rim, Grand Canyon

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS ARIZ,3-GRACAN,14D-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Grand Canyon Lodge, consisting of the main lodge building and Pioneer, Frontier, and Western cabins, is of regional architectural significance in association with, and as an outstanding example of the work of the master American architect, Gilbert Stanley Underwood. It is also, intrinsically, of regional significance as an outstanding example of the "rustic" style of architecture intended to harmonize buildings with both setting and environment,'and as one of the very few major "rustic" hotels in the state of Arizona. GRAND CANYON LODGE, WESTERN QUADRAPLEX CABIN HABS No. AZ-135-D (page 2)

Historical Information

Please refer to the written historical information for the Grand Canyon Lodge, Ma in Lodge (HABS No. AZ-13 5-A) for historical background. II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION A. General Statement 1. Architectural Merit and Interest: These cabins, with the use of the same materials as the main lodge building blend with its environment as a harmonious part of the rustic architecture. 2. Condition of fabric: Good B. Description of Exterior 1. Overall Dimensions: The rectangular, four-bay front, one story cabin is approximately thirty-two feet by forty feet. 2. Foundation: Native Kaibab limestone forming a watertable, with cast iron foundation vents. Wooden piers are in the center with beams extending from each side. 3.

Wall Construction, finish, color: Wooden frame, with horizontal, peeled half-logs, chinked with white mortar on diamond-pattern metal lath. There is a large, three-quarter round, vertical log on each corner. 4. Structural System, framing: Wooden frame with log ridgepole and log rafters and tie beams. 5. Porches, stoops, bulkheads, etc.: There is a large porch on each side of the four corners, pinwheel- like, each facing a different direction. One cabin has two porches on the same side, opposite ends. On each corner there is a large log column resting on stone bases. A log handrail extends between the columns, with log top and bottom rail and log balusters. The porch is covered with a gabled roof, with large log beams projecting beyond the columns.

The log rafters are exposed and project into the overhang. The gable ends have vertical logs placed next to each other. The wooden floors have narrow boards. Skirting around the base is half-peeled logs. Some have stone steps and some have concrete steps. The number of steps vary with the slope of,the land. GRAND CANYON LODGE, WESTERN QUADRAPLEX CABIN HABS No. AZ-135-D (page 3) 6. Chimneys: There is a large stone fireplace chimney projecting from the wall on each end of the long facades. The base, which extends approximately six feet from the ground, is stepped-in approximately one foot on each side, extends up approximately two and a half feet and is stepped-in approximately another one foot and extends through the eave to above the roof.

The chimney capped with a metal framed, metal mesh firescreen, projecting above the stone approximately one foot. There is a cement asbestos flue projecting through the roof from each of the water-heater projecting bays. 7. Openings: a. Doorways and doors: The entrance to each bedroom is from the porch. The doorway has a wooden surround, wooden threshold and sill, and a wooden door. The single panel door has vertical wooden planks applied to the exterior face. On some doors, there is a vertical half-log jamb trim, flanked by a window on the other side. Other doors have a window on each side. b. Windows and shutters: Wooden windows have four-over-four, single-hung sashes, with wooden surrounds, sill and wooden-framed screens. The screens and sashes are painted dark green.

On each side of the window there is a half-log jamb trim. Bathroom windows have horizontal, sliding aluminum sashes with wooden surrounds. In each gable-end on each side of the fireplace, there is a triangular vent to the attic. 8. Roof: a. Shape, covering: The main cabin has a gabled roof and each of the four porches have intersecting gable roofs, al 1 covered with thick-butt wooden shingles, painted dark green. b. Cornice, eaves: Open eaves have exposed log rafter ends. C. Description of the Interior 1. Floor Plan: The overall plan consists of four bedrooms, two on each that connect as a double unit. To the center there are four baths clustered back-to-back, one for each bedroom. The entrance to each bedroom is from the porch.

Some of the rooms have a window on each side of the door and others a window on one side only. GRAND CANYON LODGE, WESTERN QUADRAPLEX CABIN HABS No. AZ-135-D (page 4) Rooms with windows on each side of the door have a triple window on the perpendicular wall. The other units have a double window on the perpendicular wall. Near the center of the inside wall, there is a doorway leading into a hallway. On one side of the hallway is a doorway opening into a closet and the other side has a doorway opening into the bathroom. The bathroom has a window above the bathtub, on the exterior wall. There is a closet in one corner of each bedroom, that has been closed-up. Across one corner of each room is a stone fireplace. The stone is stepped-back twice, forming two small mantel shelves.

There is a stone hearth. The fireplace has been converted ti gas-fired logs. There is a doorway at the end of each hallway leading into the connecting suite. On the exterior wall of the bathrooms, there is a small projecting bay that houses a water heater, shared by each two units. 2. Flooring: Narrow wooden planks, covered with carpet in the bedrooms and hallways and sheet vinyl in the bathrooms. 3. Walls and ceiling finish: Walls in the bedroom have gypsum board, painted white, with a chair-rail extending around the room. The gabled ceilings have exposed log beams and rafters and wooden sheathing. There is a large half-log cornice trim. Walls in the bathroom have vinyl wall fabric above a ceramic tile wainscot. The ceiling in the hallway and closets have gypsum board, painted white. 4.

Doorways and doors: Single panel wooden doors with wooden surrounds. Some doors have wooden thresholds. 5. Mechanical Equipment: a. Heating: Propane gas-fired space heaters, vented through the wall. b. Electrical: Modern lighting fixtures. There is a single hanging fixture on each porch. This fixture has a black wrought iron band at the top and near the bottom. There are four smal1 vertical straps, gently curving at the top and bottom, attached to the two bands. Inside the straps there is a glass-domed globe. c. Plumbing fixtures: Modern plumbing fixtures. GRAND CANYON LODGE, WESTERN QUADRAPLEX CABIN HABS No. AZ-135-D (page 5) D. site 1. General Setting and Orientation: Each cabin is predominantly oriented in an east-west direction.

The cabins are located northeast of the main lodge and north of the duplex cabins. They are connected with a network of narrow concrete sidewalks. There are five of these cabins, all nestled among ponderosa pine and locust trees. Prepared by: John P. White Project Supervisor June,