The WCHP project roster is constantly evolving with new and exciting additions each year. Below is a selection of upcoming, ongoing, and completed projects. WCHP crews work year-round, making good use of the WCHP's 1,500 square foot workshop in the winter months for preservation carpentry projects and completing onsite outdoors projects in the warmer months. For news on current projects, visit our blog.

Ongoing Projects   
Upcoming Projects   
Completed Projects   
Projects in other Parks

ONGOING PROJECTS

Brinkerhoff Lodge
The Brinkerhoff Lodge is the only remaining example of a Forest Service lease vacation home within what is now Grand Teton National Park. It was designed by Jan Wilding in 1946, and is an example of post-World War II rustic architecture with Swedish-inspired log work and an asymmetrical roofline. The National Park Service acquired the property in the late 1950s, and the lodge was converted into a retreat for visiting dignitaries. It is currently used as lodging and meeting space for visiting NPS staff.

Preservation of the Brinkerhoff Lodge is ongoing. Primarily consisting of general maintenance, projects by the WCHP include refurnishing furniture, replacing ceiling tiles, and replacing pocket closet doors. In 2009 repairs to the deck and stairs were completed, as well as a number of rodent protection measures.

Menor's Ferry Historic District
Menor's Ferry was built by homesteader Bill Menor in the late 1890s. Until the installation of the Menor's Ferry, access to the eastern side of the Snake River was limited to the dry season as high water made the river all but impassable. The Menor's Ferry Historic District is made up of a twelve contributing resources, and is a highly visited interpretive site during the summer months. The transportation barn houses a collection of turn-of-the-century wagons, carriages and horse drawn vehicles that help to interpret early forms of transportation, while the reconstructed ferry operation is among a few remaining examples of this historic river crossing technique.

The WCHP has undertaken a restoration project encompassing the barn, homestead, and ferry. The project aims to maintain the integrity of this important site through regular maintenance and careful preservation. The current project includes replacing rotted sill logs, purlins, and log crown ends on the barn, and replacing deteriorated dimensional wood and rotted sill logs on the homestead. Plans also include weather and rodent protection measures, and reroofing. In 2009, the ferry deck was replaced, extending the life of this unique piece of transportation history.

4 Lazy F Ranch
Constructed in 1927 as a dude ranch and summer home for its owners, the Frew family of Pittsburgh, PA, the 4 Lazy F Ranch was constructed to convey the feeling of the old west. Utilizing log construction, the cluster of cabins and outbuildings represents a typical dude ranch. The property was acquired by the national park from the Frew family in 2006 through a terminated life estate.

The WCHP is currently completing Phase III of a five-part approach to the rehabilitation of the 4 Lazy F Ranch. Phase I included the design, environmental compliance and planning, waste water system engineering, and hazardous material testing. Phase II included upgrading utility infrastructure, rehabbing the electrical services, and replacing the water and waste water systems. Phase III includes foundation repair and the installation of utilities and kitchen upgrades. Phases IV and V include further upgrades to the facility, such as electrical wiring and plumbing upgrades, as well as foundation stabilization and roof repair and replacement.

In 2009, stabilization work correcting structural problems was begun on the caretaker house and barn. The project, still in progress under the supervision of a hired contractor, includes log repair and roof replacement on the caretaker house, and foundation repair, log repair, and roof support member repair on the barn. A failing foundation on the eastern elevation of the barn is also slated to be replaced with new concrete piers. Phase III also includes the installation of new electrical panels, wiring, water heaters, plumbing, kitchen upgrades and mitigation of hazardous materials in the Main Lodge and caretakers cabin.

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UPCOMING PROJECTS

Bar BC Dude Ranch
Homesteaded in 1912 by Struthers Burt and Horace Carncross, the Bar BC Ranch was one of the best known dude ranches in the West. Running as a successful guest ranch from 1912-1941, the ranch helped set the standard for dude ranches in Jackson Hole. Constructed in what has become known as “dude ranch vernacular”, the 37 contributing resources at Bar BC are all one or one-and-one-half story log structures that attempt to capture the feeling of the pioneer log structure.

Grand Teton National Park plans to preserve the Bar BC Ranch for use as an interpretive site. A comprehensive work plan will not be started, however, until completion of the White Grass Dude Ranch rehabilitation project. Accordingly, the park has made strides in effectively “mothballing” the structures until a later date when rehabilitation work can be prioritized and funded. In 2007 three cabins, the Main Cabin, Office Cabin, and Dude Cabin underwent stabilization work, effectively preventing further damage to the structures. A fourth building, the Carncross Cabin, received the beginnings of a complete restoration. These efforts were continued in 2009 with the repair of sever roofs that had suffered wind and snow damage. Countless volunteer hours have enabled the park to successfully “mothball” the site, and the Park looks forward to further developing a plan to successfully restore the famous dude ranch.

Bar BC Completion Report 2007

Snake River Land Company
The Snake River Land Company Residence and Office is the primary in-park, administrative entity associated with John D. Rockefeller, Jr. and the Snake River Land Company. Constructed as a private residence in 1927 by well-to-do eastern politician John Hogan, the ranch was purchased by Snake River Land Company in 1930 and used as the headquarters for the Company’s operations within Grand Teton National Park. It was turned over to the park in 1950.

Grand Teton National Park has plans to rehabilitate the Snake River Land Company Residence in order to provide much needed housing for park staff. The park has not used the building for housing for the last several years due to a lack of funding to rehabilitate the interior, or the electrical, plumbing, and fire fixtures to bring them up to code. The roof, log walls, chinking, doors, and windows are particularly in need of rehabilitation to put the residence back into good condition. Work on the Snake River Land Company Residence is scheduled to begin in FY2010.

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COMPLETED PROJECTS

Highlands
Substantially rebuilt in the 1940s and early 1950s, the Highlands was the last privately owned and operated auto camp/resort complex constructed in Grand Teton National Park. The community house and cabins echo the dude ranch rustic architecture prevalent in the area, while the siting of the various buildings reflects the autocamp tourist tradition in the park. The National Park Service bought the Highlands property in 1972 and has since used the cabins as living quarters for seasonal employees. In 2008 WCHP undertook a high-tech project to restore the chimney of the Highlands Community Building.

Due to differential settlement, the northwest corner of the chimney foundation had dropped 5 inches relative to the rest of the structure, causing the chimney to crack along its mortar joints and the corners of the chimney to push against the associated roof purlins. In 2008 the chimney was raised and leveled by hydraulic jacks to minimize damage to the chimney and associated portion of the foundation. In 2009, WCHP crew repaired the chimney and foundation. The damaged portion of the chimney was dismantled and then reconstructed in the same configuration using original and in-kind bricks set with new mortar. The failed northwest corner foundation was replaced with a new concrete footer and stem wall.

Highlands Scope of Work, 2009

Hunter Hereford Ranch
In 1946 William and Eileen Hunter purchased a ranch off of the Antelope Flats Road, and converted the property to a working ranch where they raised Hereford cattle. In 1992 Grand Teton National Park moved the rustic log home, guest quarters, and servants quarters to a new location. The Hunter Hereford barn, machine shed, garage, and caretaker’s house remain on the original property, and are currently used for park storage. 

In 2008 the Wisconsin Teacher Restoration Corp, a volunteer group, performed extensive restoration work on the remaining buildings. Work was completed on the caretakers residence, where roof repairs, front porch stabilization and asbestos mediation was completed; the garage, where new fire resistant wood shingles were hung; and the machine shed, where new sliding doors were replaced or repaired and new door support piers were poured. Work was also completed on the barn, where missing windows were replaced and new glaze applied, and the winter entry door was partially rebuilt. A small lean to structure on the south side of the barn was roofed and the gate to the corral was rebuilt to its original configuration.

Youth Conservation Program crew members also performed a much needed clean up in and around the site’s buildings.

Hunter Hereford Completion Report, 2008

Leigh Lake Patrol Cabin
Leigh Lake Patrol Cabin was built during the early 1920s by the United States Forest Service and was later refurbished by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1934. It was one of the first backcountry patrol cabins built in the park, and is the only remaining example of a Forest Service patrol cabin extant in the park. Restoration of the Leigh Lake Patrol Cabin was the first backcountry preservation project undertaken by the WCHP.

The restoration project was begun in summer 2008, and final cleanup was completed by a group of YMCA volunteers in summer 2009. Due to the remote nature of the cabin, WCHP coordinated with the trails division pack string unit for delivery of materials to the site. A new roof was constructed, including the replacement of roof sheathing boards where needed, and the installation of new under eave support boards, new roof ridge boards and Chemco treated shingles. Partial log replacement and repair was completed where needed, including the replacement of a number of half logs on the front porch.

Leigh Lake Patrol Cabin Completion Report, 2008

White Grass Ranger Station
The White Grass Ranger Station was built in the 1930s by park service employees shortly after the creation of Grand Teton National Park. The cabin design is believed to have come from a standard set of plans used park service-wide in the 1920s and 1930s. The cabin is occupied by a volunteer from late spring to early fall, and is still an important contact point for visitors accessing the Teton Mountain Range via the Death Canyon Trail.

In 2008, a WCHP crew replaced the front porch, which had been modified significantly from the original and was suffering structural failures, including crumbling rock piers and log deterioration. In addition to the porch, a new roof was installed, replacing one that was nearing its longevity.

White Grass Ranger Station Completion Report, 2008

Chapel of the Transfiguration
Constructed in 1925, the Chapel of the Transfiguration is a rustic log chapel located in Grand Teton National Park. It is operated under the leadership of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Jackson, WY, and is a popular destination for visitors to Grand Teton National Park.

In 2008, WCHP assisted St. John’s Episcopal in a three part window restoration project of eight casement windows and two stained glass windows. First, the casement windows were removed to the WCHP workshop where they were restored. Broken glass was replaced with glass from Kokomo Opalescent Glass Company, and damaged glazing compounds were removed and replaced with in-kind materials. The stained glass windows were removed to a local contractor, who oversaw their repair. The second phase included repairs to the exterior framing and sill repair work. Severely damaged wood was replaced in-kind, and St. John’s congregation members painted the new wood. Finally, the restored windows were reinstalled. Part of the goal of the project was to repair the windows in such a way that would permit the half-lap joint to work effectively and properly again. In order to do this the WCHP shimmed and trimmed the window jams in a way that allowed the windows to hang correctly.

Chapel of the Transfiguration Completion Report, 2008

Cunningham Cabin
In 2006, WCHP completed extensive structural repairs to the highly visited Cunningham Cabin. Historically known as Bar Flying U Ranch, the Cunningham property was homesteaded by Jackson Hole pioneer Pierce Cunningham. Cunningham operated the ranch until the 1940s when he sold it to the Snake River Land Company, who transferred it to the Park Service in 1950. The two-room dogtrot cabin, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, is the only building that remains on the site today.  

Work completed included extensive repairs to the cabin walls and foundation, which involved lifting the roof with jacks in order to replace the sill logs in-kind and install two-inch pipes to help the building slide during realignment. Jacks were also used on the leaning northeast corner to push the north and east elevations southward several inches. In 2008 planning and prep work was begun for a new sod roof on the cabin, which was installed in August 2009 by a group from Michigan Volunteers.

Cunningham Cabin Completion Report, 2006

Manges Cabin
Constructed in 1911 by homesteader Jim Manges, the Manges Cabin is a one-and-one-half story log structure on a dry stone foundation. In 1942 the property was identified as historic by Andrew E. Kendrew, an architect for Colonial Williamsburg conducting a survey for John D. Rockefeller, Jr. and the Snake River Land Company in Grand Teton National Park. It was nominated to the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.

In 2007 WCHP successfully replaced the roof on the Manges Cabin with in-kind materials. The project included the removal of the top layer of boards on the roof, and the removal of a layer of 30 lb. felt. Once the felt was removed, however, crews noticed water damage to the bottom layer boards, the removal of which in turn exposed damage to a number of the purlins. Two purlins were completely replaced, and another was partially replaced. Dead wood was removed, and the gaps filled with epoxy. In replacing the roof, crews added a second layer of 30 lb. felt for weather protection.

Manges Cabin Completion Report, 2007

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PROJECTS IN OTHER PARKS

Dewey Gifford Barn, Capital Reef National Park
Constructed in 1919, the Dewey Gifford Barn, also known as the Pendleton Barn and Jorgensen Barn, is located in the Fruita Rural Historic District of Capital Reef National Park, Utah, and is an excellent example of early Mormon architecture. Following the Jorgensen family, who occupied the land from 1916-1928, the Gifford family farmed the area for 41 years, selling their property to the National Park Service in 1969.

In 2008 the WCHP completed a project on the Dewey Gifford Barn in Capital Reef National Park, Utah. The project included stabilization of the structure, replacement and strengthening of the wall and roof support members in-kind, and the construction of a new roof. The project was completed with WCHP and Capitol Reef National Park personnel with the help of preservation crews from Point Reyes and Yosemite National Parks.

Dewey Gifford Completion Report, 2009

Grotto Residence - Zion National Park
The Grotto, located in Zion National Park, was constructed in 1924 to serve as a contact station and museum before being converted into living quarters for the park in 1936. Since the conversion, the structure has been used for living quarters and is now commonly referred to as the Grotto Residence.

Prior to onsite work in 2009, WCHP carpenters repaired and reproduced windows for the Grotto in the Grand Teton shop, performing conservation work on the Grotto’s historic casement windows and screen doors, and applying new glazing compound and replacing failed fabric where appropriate. New kitchen cabinets for the structure were also completed to replicate the historic appearance. In spring 2009 crews traveled to Zion, where they installed the windows and kitchen cabinets, repaired deteriorated window jambs, stabilized masonry window lintels and repointed masonry joints, and repaired or replaced historic plaster in the kitchen.

Grotto Residence Completion Report, 2009

Tusayan Museum - Grand Canyon National Park
The Tusayan Museum was constructed in 1931 to house interpretive exhibits for the site’s Archeological ruins. It was constructed in the Southwest style, and is approximately 80 years old. The existing structure was constructed in two phases, the main museum part of the building being built first, and the south vestibule enclosed later to provide additional space. The two construction periods are distinguished by the different finishing techniques used on the viga ends: The original ends were rounded using an ax, and the later viga ends were cut with a “beaver cut” also using an ax.

In January 2010, a WCHP Crew traveled to the Grand Canyon to perform preservation work on the Tusayan Museum. Their work there focused on the weathered and rotting viga roof ends, which protrude beyond the exterior wall exposing them to the elements. Of the 21 viga ends, all but 5 were replaced around 1987. The WCHP Crew replaced all of the viga ends on the north side of the building and a number of the viga ends on the south side. The remaining viga ends on the south side were either repaired with Dutchman repairs or saved using epoxy consolidant and epoxy patching material applied to the top of the viga ends.

Tusayan Museum Completion Report, 2010

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