HistoriCorps is a program of Colorado Preservation, Inc., funded in part by the US Forest Service.
Alpine Guard Station
Purpose of the Project: The proposed project at the Alpine Guard Station will rehabilitate vacant buildings to use as vacation rental cabins, including the installation of solar energy systems to bring electricity to the site for the first time. The outcome of the project hopes to encourage more visitors to the site and continue regular maintenance of the site.
History: The Alpine Guard Station was first constructed in 1913 as a remote ranger station for the United States Forest Service; the site is located within the Grand Mesa-Uncompahgre-Gunnison National Forest, in Gunnison County, and includes three historic log buildings: a ranger’s residence, barn, and garage/equipment shed. The ranger’s residence was constructed in 1920 by rangers Henry L. Spencer and Bill Doran to serve as a seasonal guard station within the Alpine District of the Uncompahgre National Forest (which later merged with the Grand Mesa and Gunnison National Forests). The site is associated with the early twentieth century sheep grazing industry of the Western Slope and stands as a good example of an early Forest Service administrative facility.
Scope of Work: Several projects will be conducted at the Alpine Guard Station site. All three structures will be reroofed with cedar shingles, all doors and windows will be repaired, and all of the sill logs will be replaced. Both the garage and dwelling will have interior repair and will be furnished. The dwelling will also have plumbing installed to accommodate a sink. The extended plan is to turn the garage into a bunkhouse with a wood stove, beds and a table. Crews will construct vault toilet facility and a solar energy shed, modeling a CCC-era equipment shed, to house photovoltaic panels, batteries and an inverter. In addition, the site will be graded for ADA accessibility. The proposed projects at the Alpine Guard Station will provide participants with knowledge of the layout and assembly of wall frames, construction of roof trusses and roofing techniques, construction of historically accurate hinged garage doors, and the siding of walls
with board and batten.
Alpine Guard Station
Purpose of the Project: The proposed project at the Alpine Guard Station will rehabilitate vacant buildings to use as vacation rental cabins, including the installation of solar energy systems to bring electricity to the site for the first time. The outcome of the project hopes to encourage more visitors to the site and continue regular maintenance of the site.
Scope of Work: Several projects will be conducted at the Alpine Guard Station site. All three structures will be reroofed with cedar shingles, all doors and windows will be repaired, and all of the sill logs will be replaced. Both the garage and dwelling will have interior repair and will be furnished. The dwelling will also have plumbing installed to accommodate a sink. The extended plan is to turn the garage into a bunkhouse with a wood stove, beds and a table. Crews will construct vault toilet facility and a solar energy shed, modeling a CCC-era equipment shed, to house photovoltaic panels, batteries and an inverter. In addition, the site will be graded for ADA accessibility. The proposed projects at the Alpine Guard Station will provide participants with knowledge of the layout and assembly of wall frames, construction of roof trusses and roofing techniques, construction of historically accurate hinged garage doors, and the siding of walls
with board and batten.
Dates: June – September, 2010