Bandelier Historic Structure Report: CCC Buildings

THE BUILDINGS (continued)

B-15, Dining Room, Kitchen, and Lunchroom

In 1937 the CCC constructed this building as the dining room, kitchen, and lunchroom for the lodge (figures 94-96). On the north of the structure sat a dining terrace. The north wall of the terrace had an adobe-colored cement plaster to keep the plastered stone banco on that wall clean. [129] The terrace had a screen for a roof covering. Two strips of screen sewn together with copper wire served as the roof. The "entire width [of the screen was] stretched and nailed to strops at edges and turns only." [130] The back porch of the kitchen — a portal that led to the lodge utility area — received screens in 1954. At that time, the maintenance staff constructed a fly-proof, screened garbage-can rack. [131] In 1960, the dining terrace was covered with a fiberglass roof. [132] Other changes to the building before 1968 were minor. The concessioner periodically changed and updated kitchen equipment. Vinyl tiles replaced the rubber tiles in the kitchen. The concessioner also repainted the kitchen and performed general maintenance. [133]

NPS took over management of this building in 1968 and turned it into the monument's administrative offices. The monument staff partitioned the kitchen into office spaces. The staff also removed the lunchroom counter and made that area into offices. The dining room became a general meeting room. The staff removed the dining room furniture and put it in curatorial storage. CCC-vintage couches and chairs from elsewhere in the monument were brought in. The terrace received an insulated roof. The roof connected B-15 with B-16, the former employee dormitory, and made it one large split-level office building. One corner of the dining terrace was also partitioned into small offices closing off the courtyard opening. The remainder of the terrace became the room.

The building was originally heated with oil, but the change was made to natural gas in 1968. Recent changes to the building include a new foam roof (1981), new sewer and water lines (1983), new wiring and natural gas line (1984), and a new furnace (1984).

Figure 94. In 1937, B-15 was under construction. The main dining room was behind the portal. The lunchroom was behind the three windows on the right. (Photo: Bandelier)

Figure 95. The main entrance of B-15 had decorative doors, and it was large enough that the visitor quickly realized the building's importance. (Photo: Bandelier)

Figure 96. Plans for kitchen improvements, 1947.