Bandelier Historic Structure Report: CCC Buildings

THE BUILDINGS (continued)

B-4, Garage and Blacksmith Shop

This building (figures 62 and 64-65) was completed on October 21, 1935. Because the structure was only 13 feet 9 inches from the warehouse (B-3), and because of limited building space, the reviewing fire protection engineer gave the designer two choices: either move the building 40 feet away, or remove the windows from the as-designed west wall. The designer removed the windows. The stone wall separating the two-bay (on the south facade) repair shop and the single-bay blacksmith shop was put in for the same reason. [96]

Interior and exterior finishes were simple. Floors were originally poured concrete in the garage repair shop and 6 inches of rolled tuff gravel in the blacksmith shop. To improve working conditions a cement floor was poured in the blacksmith shop in January 1950. [97] The on-site architect wrote that "frames were painted and doors were stained," but he did not specify any colors. [98]

On the morning of January 17, 1938, some CCC enrollees were cleaning the gas tank on one of the trucks. Somehow they started a fire, which spread to the workbench and wall cabinets. The fire destroyed the entire contents of the garage, including the truck, and all the hand tools and contents of the blacksmith shop. The damage was repaired that spring. Burned lintels were replaced and damaged wall sections were replaced or stabilized, depending on the amount of destruction. [99] In 1986 charred plaster was still visible on some of the interior walls.

Other changes to the building included the addition in 1939 of a heater room to house an oil furnace (figure 63), and the construction in 1942 of bins in the blacksmith shop for plumbing supplies. [100] The oil furnace was replaced by a gas furnace by 1965. Over the years the garage portion was turned into the carpenter's shop, and new lighting was installed in that portion in 1977. [101] In 1981, the building received a new foam roof. The building was rewired and its natural gas service replaced in 1983 and 1984, respectively.

Lyle N. Barcume designed the building. Lyle Bennett designed the 1939 heater room addition.

Figure 62. Plans for the garage and blacksmith shop (B-4), 1935 (drawing 315/3028, sheet 1).

Figure 63. Plans for the garage heater room (B-4A), 1939 (drawing 315/2125, sheet 1).

Figure 64. In this photograph of B-4, some evidence of the fire that damaged the building is visible in the charred plaster above the lintel on the right. This photograph was taken after the 1938 fire but before construction of the 1939 heater room addition. (Photo: Bandelier)

Figure 65. In 1982 the plaster had weathered off B-4 and exposed the stone. (Photo: Copeland for NPS)