Cold Springs RS 2016 - Passport in Time
Main menu:
Current Projects > 2016
Oregon - Ochoco NF
Closed! Cold Springs Ranger Station Repair and Maintenance
Cold Springs Guard Station 1935
OR-4295
May 2-6; 18-22, 2016
Must commit to one entire session; may participate in both
Join us this spring on the Ochoco National Forest as we “reconstruct the past!” In July of 1902, The Blue Mountains of Oregon were consolidated under the existing Public Land Laws for a proposed Forest Reserve, and split into two divisions: the Elk Creek Forest Reserves (the portion of the Mountains to the northwest of Baker City) and the Blue Mountains Forest Reserve (the remaining portion of the Mountains). The South Fork of the John Day River became the dividing line and, in 1911, the entirety of the 819,030 acres became the Ochoco National Forest, divided into seven Ranger Districts. Since that time, the Forest Service (FS) has always maintained a presence, at least in the summer months. In 1907, acreage was set aside for the construction and administrative use of the Cold Springs Ranger Station. The structure was in regular use until a tragic fire on July 25, 1926; the building was a complete loss. Nevertheless, operations in the area had to continue, so Forest administration continued out of a tent for several years! But, in 1935, a new structure was built on the site by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), a Depression-era program that was part of the New Deal initiated by President Roosevelt, and designed to put people to work creating new infrastructure in the country’s National Parks and Forests. The “new” Cold Springs Station has been in semi-regular use ever since, and has been determined eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). In 1997, the Station was decommissioned as an FS administrative facility, and put into the Cabin Rental Program, where it is now available for use by the general public. However, the passage of time and exposure to the elements have taken their toll, and the Station is in need of a little TLC to get it back to its former state of grandeur. For this effort, we need your help!
PIT volunteers will join FS heritage staff this May for two weeks of structure rehabilitation and grounds maintenance to get the ‘ol girl back up to snuff. We will complete a number of tasks both inside and outside of the Ranger Station, including (but not limited to): repainting the exterior; removing non-historic vinyl flooring in the bedroom and repainting the original wood flooring to match the rest of the structure’s flooring. We will also undertake window repair and replacement and we’ll replace the extant, galvanized plumbing. Our finishing touch on the Station will be general spring cleaning, and preparation for its summer operations. Outdoors, we will need to repair the fencing, and level, rake, and re-seed the back lawn. This will be fun, dirty, sweaty, work, but in the end, we will all be able to see what a difference we have made – and you can be a part of that! There is also much to see and do in this beautiful area in your hours “off the clock:” hike, take in the views, see the wildlife, and breathe in the sweet mountain air! We hope you’ll join us in May for this unique and important PIT project!
Number of openings: 6 (4 for Session 1; 2 for Session 2)
Special skills: Must be physically capable of sustained periods of lifting, bending, stooping, and kneeling each day; previous historic restoration, painting, general construction and/or maintenance, carpentry, and/or landscaping experience helpful, but not required
Minimum age: 18 years old
Facilities: Tent and small RV (pop-up) camping available on site at no charge; water and toilets available for use at Cold Springs Ranger Station; no hook-ups; Mitchell and Paulina are limited service communities; Prineville is a full-service community with hotels/motels, restaurants, and a full range of other amenities, but is located some 1-½ hours from the camp location; volunteers responsible for own lodging/camping equipment, food, and daily transportation (if opting to stay off-site)
Nearest towns: Mitchell, 20 miles; Paulina, 37 miles; Prineville, 45 Miles
Applications due: March 31, 2016