Meeker Ranch

In partnership with the Black Hills Historic Preservation Trust and Black Hills National Forest, HistoriCorps will stabilize the historic Meeker Ranch and install a new wood shingle roof. Originally slated for demolition by the Black Hills National Forest, the site is now threatened by lack of maintenance, the Meeker Ranch is in need of rehabilitation. It is HistoriCorps’ goal to successfully stabilize and repair the Meeker Ranch so that this historic site may be preserved, maintained, and one day available as a beautiful public rental facility.

History: The Meeker Ranch was constructed in 1887, spans 278 acres, and has several historic structures scattered across the valley. Cattle rancher Frank Cunningham Meeker homesteaded the site, located east of Custer, SD, in 1882 and named the area “Willow Creek”. In 1952, the property was sold to the Davis family, and then acquired by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation in 2004. Soon after, the property was sold to the Black Hills National Forest and was scheduled to be demolished in 2006.  Local artist Jon Crane and the Black Hills Historic Preservation Trust lobbied to preserve and rehabilitate the ranch, raising matching funds and creating public awareness. The proposed stabilization effort with HistoriCorps is the first step to ensuring the historic Meeker Ranch will remain for years to come.

Scope of Work: During the third week of August 2010, HistoriCorps will be heading up to the Meeker Ranch near Custer, SD  to instruct volunteers from the Black Hills Preservation Trust  in the stabilization of the historic structures on site. The scope of work includes removing rolled asphalt roofing, inspecting and replacing, if necessary, the existing roof deck, repairing deteriorated or failing roof rafters, laying ice and water shield, installing flashing, laying Cedar Breather, and laying cedar shingles and cedar ridgecaps.

OUTCOME! The week of August 16 – 20, dozens of volunteers contributed over 387 hours toward stabilizing the Meeker Ranch structures and replacing the roof on the Meeker ranch house. Volunteers learned the art of cedar shingling with HistoriCorps instructors. The week-long stabilization project had a great turnout of volunteers and is an impressive start to what HistoriCorps and the Black Hills Historic Preservation Trust hope to be a continued rehabilitation effort at the Meeker Ranch.