Clearwater Big House, WA 2026
Join us this summer in southeastern Washington’s vista friendly Blue Mountains for a historic trip down memory lane!
PROJECT PARTNER: Umatilla National Forest
SESSION DATES: May 31 – June 5, June 7-12, June 14-19, and June 21-26
PROJECT SUPERVISOR: Assignment in progress!
ASSISTANT PROJECT SUPERVISOR: Assignment in progress!
CREW LEADER: Assignment in progress!
Project Site Description & History
The Umatilla National Forest in the southeastern corner of Washington state will play host this summer to our next HistoriCorps volunteer opportunity. It’s here you’ll find pristine mountain ridges with soft rolling creeks dissecting steep valleys and the Clearwater Big House, a remnant of the early Forest years in the Umatilla. Built between 1928 and 1929 by Ranger Grover Blake, the Clearwater Big House is a 3 bedroom cabin with a living room and kitchen comprising 868 square feet of living space that was constructed from donated scrap lumber from local stockmen and game department. Outside, the cabin resides on a gentle slope clearing and is surrounded by a young generation of planted Christmas trees adding to its picturesque nature.
The Big House is part of the Clearwater Guard Station which features a ranger office, gas house, barn, warehouse, garage, and of course, the guard station, all built in 1933 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The cabin served as the summer residence of the ranger and his family until the 1960s when the administrative offices for the guard station were moved to Pomeroy following the development of dependable road systems and reliable automobiles capable of navigating the rugged terrain that rendered seasonal onsite living obsolete.
Notable tourism opportunities add to the joy of volunteering with us to preserve the Clearwater Big House. Running north to southwest of the Umatilla National Forest you can visit the Snake River, North America’s largest river that empties into the Pacific ocean. It originates in Wyoming’s Yellowstone National Park, eventually meeting with the Columbia River, and not to be missed. As well, The Blue Mountain Scenic Byway just to the south of our project is a popular 130 mile stretch of road between Arlington and Baker City Oregon and is a designated National Scenic Byway. Don’t miss your chance to volunteer with us to preserve the Clearwater Big House this summer!
Location and Logistics
SESSION DATES: May 31 – June 5, June 7-12, June 14-19, and June 21-26
Please plan to arrive at the campsite no earlier than 5pm and no later than 7pm on the first day of your session.
LOCATION: Located approximately 3 hours south of Spokane Washington near the Oregon border.
MAP to CLEARWATER BIG HOUSE
ACCESS: 
Tents, truck campers, campervans, trailers, and RVs up to 25′ feet are welcome. Hookups are not available and dogs are welcome.
WEATHER: Anticipate highs in the 60s and lows in the 40s. Weather conditions may be rainy, cloudy, or sunny. Volunteers are responsible for checking weather conditions before their session begins, and packing appropriately.
ABOUT VOLUNTEERING: HistoriCorps projects are free for volunteers! HistoriCorps will provide all meals, tools, training, equipment, and a campsite. Volunteers are responsible for their own transportation to the campsite, sleeping equipment, work gloves, clothes and boots, and other personal gear.
Scope of Work
SCOPE OF WORK DIFFICULTY: 
HistoriCorps is committed to educating and training volunteers in preservation skills, with an overarching mission of inspiring a preservation ethic in all those involved. Learning and working alongside expert HistoriCorps field staff and other volunteers while applying the traditional skills necessary to restore the Clearwater Big House, you will assist to:
- Rebuild deteriorated back porch.
- Rehabilitate exterior windows.
- Construct and install new window screen based on original design.
- Replace roof shingles.
- Repair front door trim.
- If time allows, repoint chimney, repair concrete cap on foundation, and repaint building exterior.
Please note: Tasks vary by day and by week, depending on a variety of factors including: weather, project priorities, previous groups’ work, and more. Though it is likely you will get to learn and practice most or all of the above tasks, it is not guaranteed. The higher percentage of the scope a particular task is, the more likely you will get to practice it.
Sign Up!
We’re thrilled this project has inspired you to volunteer!
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!
(Currently only available for HistoriClub Members – Open Registration will be available Monday, February 23rd at 12:00pm MST!)
Visit our Job Calendar to see how many spaces are available!
*All registrations submitted to projects at capacity will be automatically added to our waitlist.*
CANCELLATIONS effect our ability to complete projects. Please register only if you are certain about your ability to participate.
You will know your registration was successful when you receive a confirmation email. Contact volunteer@historicorps.org for assistance.
HistoriCorps does not charge for its volunteering projects. HistoriCorps relies on donations to continue engaging volunteers to save significant historical sites across America for generations to come. Your donation of any amount will make an incredible difference! Increase your impact – make a generous gift today.
Volunteer Logistics, Policies, and Advice
We’re so glad you’re interested in joining this project! If you’re new to our community, review the Volunteer FAQ first! Please note the following logistics and policies:
- Volunteering with HistoriCorps is free! We will provide all meals, tools, training, equipment, and a campsite or shared indoor lodging. Dinner is not provided on the first night.
- Volunteers are responsible for bringing their own gear, work gloves, sturdy work clothes and boots, and appropriate sleeping equipment. Check the average temperatures before you start packing – the nights and mornings may be colder than you anticipate! Then, read this advice about how to stay warm when tent camping in colder places.
- Campsite accessibility varies by project. Some projects can accommodate tents only; others can accommodate small RVs. Please review the project site description above for more information, and if you’re still not sure, email volunteer@historicorps.org for help.
- If this project does not offer showers, you might want to consider bringing a solar shower or research other methods to clean up after the work day.
- Volunteer crew sizes generally range from 4-8 volunteers, with two HistoriCorps staff that lead and train volunteers in the work.
- Safety is one of HistoriCorps’ top priorities, and volunteers can contribute to a safe working environment by ensuring their physical fitness is adequate for the work. See above for this project’s scope of work and difficulty level. Please, call us if you are not quite sure if a project is a good fit for your skills or fitness level. We may be able to suggest a project more suitable and enjoyable for you.
- Hard hats, eye protection, ear protection, gloves are standard personal protection equipment (PPE) required on all projects. Hard hats must be worn at all times on the project site, unless working in a designated safe space. Field staff will train volunteers on correct use of PPE.
- Dogs are generally allowed to accompany their humans in project campsites (actually, we love having dogs join us around the campfire!). Dogs are not permitted on the job site for everyone's safety. HOWEVER: HistoriCorps also follows the rules and regulations of our project partner. If the project partner does not permit dogs onsite then HistoriCorps is no exception. Please ask HistoriCorps or the project partner directly if you have any questions about whether Fido is welcome.