Historic Area Cabin at Jewel Cave Preserved with Funding from the Great American Outdoors Act

CUSTER, SD – The Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) Legacy Restoration Fund financed critical preservation work on the roof and gutter system on the Historic Cabin at the Historic Area at Jewel Cave National Monument. The cabin was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930’s and served as the original ranger station and residence. Maintaining this nearly 100-year-old cabin is essential to helping continue to tell the stories of the early history of Jewel Cave.

The work was performed by a GAOA funded Maintenance Action Team (MAT) composed of skilled craftspeople from the National Park Service Historic Preservation Training Center (HPTC). The Jewel Cave National Monument Facilities Division also provided additional assistance for the team. The scope of work for the cabin included removal of existing shakes and underlayment, installation of new underlayment and cedar shakes, replacement of ponderosa pine ridge cap logs and the inspection and maintenance of copper gutters.

The crew completed this strenuous work even with a variety of weather conditions, ranging from 60 degrees and partly sunny to 37 degrees with rain and snow. According to Facilities Manager Dave Tashner “…their persistence and dedication was deeply appreciated. The crew's quality of work is excellent and deserves to be recognized. We couldn't have completed this project without the HPTC MAT crew.”

HPTC recruits, trains, and employs people in traditional historic restoration and preservation techniques and trades. Several geographically based MATs travel to national parks to train and work alongside park staff to complete small, but critical, maintenance rehabilitation and repair projects on historic structures. MATs enable the National Park Service to complete projects that require knowledge and competency in traditional trades in a consistent and cost-effective manner.