Houston Ranger Station, MO 2024

Come restore one of Missouri’s finest examples of Colonial Revival architecture in the heart of the Mark Twain National Forest!

PROJECT PARTNER: Mark Twain National Forest

SESSION DATES: March 31 – April 5 and April 7-12

PROJECT SUPERVISOR: Daniel Ensalaco!

CREW LEADER: Charles Dobry!

Project Site Description & History

The Houston Ranger Station is located in the Houston Ranger District of Missouri. The buildings were constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Lynchburg Camp with help from the Emergency Relief Administration (ERA) between 1936 and 1937 and were built with limestone in a colonial revival style. Both the CCC and the ERA were important programs sprouted from President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal which he began in 1933 after taking office. The Ranger Station is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is part of the Mark Twain National Forest.

The ranger station features five historic building’s that include a ranger’s office, dwelling, garage, warehouse. and a gas & oil house. The Mark Twain National Forest listed the Houston Ranger Station in the National Register of Historic Places in 2000 under “Criteria A and C” with a 1936-1950 period of significance. Today, the property continues to serve as the ranger district office!

The buildings are notable for their defining characteristics incorporating heavy wood lintels with tapered ends, gable wall chimney, dormers, and period-defining windows. Last season, HistoriCorps volunteers and field staff repaired the second story window lintel and performed a variety of needed maintenance to the aging buildings. This season we’re returning to repair more window lintels and restore critical mortar components of the historic buildings.

Our project at the Houston Ranger Station will only be available to a small group of volunteer and there will not be a Kitchen Helper needed for this project since we will be a smaller group. Please act fast and secure your spot at the Houston Ranger Station as HistoriCorps is set to return for another successful visit to the Mark Twain National Forest ranger district office! Visit the Mark Twain National Forest’s websit e for more information.

Location and Logistics

SESSION DATES: March 31 – April 5 and April 7-12

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 in central Houston, MO.

MAP to HOUSTON RANGER STATION

CAMPSITE INFORMATION:

Tents, truck campers, campervans, trailers, and a few RVs 25′ feet and under are welcome. Hookups and showers will not be available. Dogs are welcome but must be leashed.

WEATHER: Anticipate highs in the 50s and lows potentially in the 30s. 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, volunteers and applying the traditional skills necessary to restore the Houston Ranger Station:

Repair second story window lintel
Mortar repairs with repointing as necessary

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!

Visit our Job Calendar to see 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.