Replacement Logs at the Main Cabin

Check out this cool progression of the WCHP crew moving a replacement log into place last summer.  Over 128 deteriorated logs were replaced in-kind at the Main Cabin at White Grass.  The majority of those logs were on the western kitchen addition, where soil build-up along the logs had expedited deterioration. 

White Grass Dude Ranch Update, Feb. 2013

The White Grass cabins might look sleepy under a blanket of snow from the outside, but on the inside they are full of life and progress.  Work this winter is focused on the main cabin, where the WCHP staff is cleaning logs, installing drywall, removing paint, and installing chinking.

Snow blankets the Hammond Cabin.

Inside the Main Cabin, work continues.

The construction floor will remain in place until the original floorboards, salvaged last summer, are installed.  The floors will be the last step in completing the Main Cabin interior.

 




Replacing Deteriorated Logs on Historic Cabins

Replacing logs on historic cabins isn't easy. As stated in the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties, when replacing materials in-kind, "the replacement material needs to match the old both physically and visually."  The WCHP craftsmen take great care and time to ensure that the log replacements physically and visually match the historic logs, and each log is hand peeled and shaped to match the log it is replacing.  Axes and draw knives are used to replicate the markings on the logs, a distinctive characteristic lost on machine peeled logs.

Below is a collection of photos of the WCHP craftsman shaping logs at White Grass Dude Ranch last summer.

Roger shapes a header.

Al works on the end of a replacement log.

Jack shapes logs for the Main Cabin.



There was no end to the number of logs that needed to be prepaired last summer!



Inside the Sleeping Cabins

There are ten sleeping cabins at the White Grass Dude Ranch, five of which have been rehabilitated for use by trainees and volunteers.  The cabins range from the single-room Girl's Cabin to the larger, three-bedroom Triple Cabin.  Each cabin is equipped with electricity, modern bathrooms, baseboard heat, beds and mattresses.  The bathrooms are either private or shared between two bedrooms.  In keeping with the remote and wild location of the ranch, there are no phones, internet connections, or TV's in the cabins.  Lucky students and volunteers who stay at White Grass share the community kitchen in the Hammond Cabin for all meals.

Much of the interior rehabilitation work was completed during the winter months, when WCHP preservationists accessed the ranch by snowmobile.  Work in the cabins included cleaning the walls, refinishing or replacing the floors, replacing the ceilings, and installing modern bathrooms. 



The Sleeping Cabins were in pretty rough shape when the WCHP began rehabilitation.



In many of the cabins, the original floors were refinished.

The original floors look great!

A typical sleeping room.  The mattress and furniture is all put up for winter storage.

A typical bathroom.

Happy 100th!

The iconic T.A. Moulton Barn on Mormon Row in Grand Teton National Park is turning 100 this year! Check out this great website dedicated to the history of the barn, and keep an eye on it for information on a 100th birthday celebration, tbd. 

http://www.themoultonbarn.com/

Inside the Hammond Cabin II

Students and volunteers who have the opportunity to stay at the White Grass Dude Ranch have access to the community kitchen, located in the Hammond Cabin.  The kitchen is located at the south end of the Hammond Cabin, right next to the living and dining room.  It is outfitted with two refridgerators, two stoves, two microwaves, and plenty of storage.  Due to the small size of the kitchen, all meals are served family style, and each group is responsible for creating a cooking schedule with shared responsibilities.

Inside the Hammond Cabin I

Ever wonder what the interiors of the cabins at White Grass look like? Well come on in! Below are some photos of the Hammond Cabin that highlight the work WCHP has done to update the historic interior to a functional, modern living space.  The Hammond Cabin at White Grass houses the community kitchen, common room, and the caretaker's residence.  The common living and dining room features a beautiful river rock fireplaces that was carefully restored by SCC students in 2010.  We'll get some more photographs of the kitchen up soon!

Because it's the largest room in the Hammond Cabin, the common living and dining room was used to stage much of the interior rehabilitation in 2009.

 

As part of the construction, the central fireplace was repointed and a new floor installed.

 

The room is currently set up with two tables, plenty of seating, and interpretive posters and historic photos.



In 2012, the National Trust for Historic Preservation hosted an event in the Hammond Cabin.