North Cascades

STEWARDSHIP OF THE PUBLIC DOMAIN:
GOVERNMENT IN THE NORTH CASCADES

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The land of the North Cascades region has been under the stewardship of the federal government since the late nineteenth century. For more than six decades the United States Forest Service had jurisdiction over this remote wilderness, administering policies deemed appropriate for lands designated national forests. Through its special-use permit system the USFS allowed many uses of its land by outside interests, both public and private. Hydroelectric production, mining, logging, trapping, roadhouse operations, fish planting, and recreation home building were all activities pursued by individuals, companies, and governmental agencies in the national forests.

The USFS had considerable impact in the North Cascades, building ranger and guard stations throughout the backcountry for administrative purposes. As recreational use of the forests increased, the USFS responded by constructing lean-tos, trail shelters, campgrounds, and trails for tourists and hikers in appropriately designated areas. Many of these structures have since been destroyed. In order to guard forest resources from fire, the USFS embarked upon an ambitious fire protection program which revolved around the construction of lookouts atop mountain peaks and ridges. Only a handful of these special-use buildings are extant today as changes in USFS policies and technological advances in fire protection rendered the structures obsolete.

The USFS retained jurisdiction of this area in the northern Cascade Range from its inception as a government agency in 1905 until the creation of the national park in 1968. Its 63-year administration left much tangible evidence which reflects USFS policies and management ideals in a wilderness area. Stewardship of the public domain is a theme significant in the overall human history of the park and should be interpreted through these remaining cultural resources.

The following resources are eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places within the historic theme identified in this chapter:

BEAVER PASS, PERRY CREEK, BRIDGE CREEK, HIGH BRIDGE, AND FLICK CREEK SHELTERS, the only remaining backcountry shelters in the park complex, for their associations with the era of the U.S. Forest Service and the Civilian Conservation Corps in the North Cascades.

COPPER RIDGE, DESOLATION, AND SOURDOUGH LOOKOUTS, the only remaining fire lookouts situated in the park, for their associations with the U.S. Forest Service-era and its fire protection policies in the North Cascades.

DEER LICK CABIN, for its association with the U.S. Geological Survey's snow survey work in the North Cascades, and as an excellent example of square-notched, log cabin construction within the park.

HOZOMEEN CABIN, as an excellent example of saddle-notched log cabin construction within the park.

MARBLEMOUNT RANGER STATION RESIDENCES NO. 9 AND 10, both built in the 1930s, as excellent examples of early USFS-design residential structures.

RUBY BARN, located in a pasture on the north side of Ruby Arm, for its association with the USFS guard station on Ruby Creek. It is also a unique (within the park) example of log pole building construction,.

HIGH BRIDGE RANGER STATION COMPLEX (including the residence, garage, outhouse, barn, and corral), as the only intact ranger station complex of USFS-design remaining in the park.

STEHEKIN RANGER STATION RESIDENCE, as an excellent example of USFS design residential construction from the late 1920s.

Because they do not meet criteria for listing, it is recommended that the following structures and sites not be nominated to the National Register of Historic Places: Diablo Barn and Residence; Marblemount warehouse, shop, and garage; Roland Point Lookout Site; Stehekin Ranger Station shop/firehouse/warehouse, woodshed, and bunkhouse; and the Stehekin Community Center.

Recommend that the following be placed on the area's List of Classified Structures: Lightning Creek Ranger Station, Little Beaver Shelter, Ross Guard, and the WPA Road for their association with government activities, particularly USFS-related ones, in the North Cascades.

The Bridge Creek Barn, eligible for listing in the National Register, has since been dismantled (October 1985).