Grand Canyon Lodge, Pioneer Cabin, North Rim, Grand Canyon

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS ARIZ,3-GRACAN,14E-. 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, PIONEER CABIN HABS No. AZ-135-E (page 2)

Historical Information

Please refer to the written historical information for the Grand Lodge, Main Lodge (HABS No. AZ-135-A) for historical background. II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION A. General Statement 1. Architectural Merit and Interest: This cabin reflects the true log cabin of peeled, notched logs and native limestone foundations. 2. Condition of Fabric: Good. B. Description of Exterior 1. Overall Dimensions: This one-bay front, one story- cabin is rectangular and approximately thirteen feet by twenty-seven feet. 2. Foundation: Native Kaibab limestone forming a watertable around the perimeter. There are two decorative cast iron foundation foundation vents on each side. Wooden pier and beam foundation extends from each side through the center. 2. Wall Construction, Finish.

Color: Peeled logs, with notched ends, projecting approximately one foot. Joints between logs chinked with lime and sand mortar on diamond patterned metal lath. Near the center of each long side there are logs projecting through the wall at a cross partition. A small projection on one side, housing a water heater, has half-log siding with lime mortar chinking. 3. Structural System, Framing: Lead-bearing log walls, with log rafters, ridge pole, and tie beams. 4. Porches, Stoops, Bulkheads, etc.: There is a stone stoop at each doorway with stone steps, the number varying with the slope of the land. 5. Chimneys: There are two cement-asbestos flues, with metal raincaps, extending through the roof on the long side of the gable, approximately near the center.

A similar flue extends through the roof from the projecting water heater room, on the opposite side of the building. GRAND CANYON LODGE, PIONEER CABIN HABS No. AZ-135-E (page 3) 6. Openings: a. Doorways and doors: The principal entrance is in the center on each end of the building. Each doorway has wooden surrounds, wooden sill and threshold, and a wooden board door, flush on the exterior with a wide frame and a diagonal brace on the interior. There is a wooden-framed panel screen door on one end, that is painted dark green. b. Windows and shutters: The principal windows have double, six-light, outswinging wooden casement sashes, with wooden framed screens on the interior. The exterior sash is painted dark green. The bathroom has a single-light wooden hopper sash with wooden-framed screen.

8- Roof: a. Shape and curving: The gable roof is covered with wooden shingles, painted green. b. Cornice, eaves: The open eaves have the log rafter ends exposed. C. Description of Interior 1. Floor Plan: An entrance, in the center of each end, opens into a bedroom, that is the width of the cabin. There is a double window on each side of the room, approximately in the center of the wall. There is a small alcove on one side, which has an open space heater in it. A doorway in the center, opposite the entrance leads into a small hallway. On one side of the hallway is a doorway leading into the bathroom. The bathroom has a window on the exterior wall, and in the outside corner, there is a shower stall.

An addition on the exterior of the bathroom houses the hot water heater, accessible through a wooden panel on the exterior. The two bedrooms connect through the hallway. In one bedroom there is a lavatory on the wall next to the bathroom. The bathroom and hallway have a flat, lowered ceiling while the bedrooms have gabled ceilings. 2. Flooring: Narrow wooden boards covered with carpet in the bedroom and sheet vinyl in the bathroom. 3. Walls and Ceiling Finish: Walls in the bedroom are exposed, peeled logs with horizontal, wide-board, beaded planks on the bathroom wall, having narrow corner boards. Ceilings in the bedrooms are exposed log structure with GRAND CANYON LODGE, PIONEER CABIN HABS No. AZ-135-E (page 4) wooden board sheathing, stained dark brown.

The walls and ceilings in the bathroom are gypsum board, painted white. There is white ceramic tile inside the metal shower stall. 4. Doorways and Doors: The doorways into the hallway and bathroom have wooden surrounds and wooden panel doors. The doors are flush faced on one side and are made of the same wide-board beaded wall paneling, turned vertically. 5. Mechanical Equipment: a. Heating: Columnar,propane space heater in each bedroom. b. Lighting: Modern, round flourescent, swag lamps in bedroom, porcelain wall socket in bathroom. c. Plumbing: Modern plumbing fixtures. D. SITE 1. General Setting and Orientation: Each cabin is predominantly oriented in a north-south direction along the horizontal axis.

The cabins are relatively close in proximity, on a slope to the west of the main lodge. They are sited among pine, oak and locust trees, with a network of narrow concrete sidewalks, scored randomly, connecting the cabins. These cabins, mostly on the western edge of the slope, are mingled with Frontier cabins which are closest to the road. There are forty-one cabins of this type and forty-eight cabins of the "Frontier" type. Prepared bv: John P. White Project Supervisor June,