Fort Clatsop Administrative History

Building Construction

The completed Fort Clatsop National Memorial, 1963.
(FOCL photo collection)

As discussed earlier, Fort Clatsop was developed during the Mission 66 period of the Park Service which meant an emphasis was placed on planning for a single building for administrative and visitor needs. The site's rural location required construction of necessary visitor and administrative facilities. The Region Four planning division determined the memorial would need a visitor center, at least one employee residence, and a utility structure. In purchasing the Miller residence, the memorial would already have one two-bedroom house available for employee housing. Funding was made available to build one additional employee housing unit.

View of path from visitor center to fort replica, March 1963.
(FOCL photo collection)

A contract was awarded in March 1962 to the McLinn Construction Company of Tacoma, Washington, for the construction of the visitor center, one three-bedroom employee residence, and a utility shop. McLinn brought in the lowest bid of $103,281. The visitor center building was designed to hold administrative offices for the park staff, an exhibit hall and auditorium for interpretation, a visitor information and sales counter, and other visitor facilities. The visitor center was designed by the WODC office in conjunction with the park staff. The structure was 3,300 square feet. It contained three offices, a combination mail/break room, and a small 36-seat auditorium. The structure was typical of the Mission 66 era visitor center construction. The three-bedroom residence was built at the north end of the memorial. Near the employee residence, a small utility structure was built for use as a maintenance facility and storage unit.

All construction took place between June 30, 1961, and January 1963. Special use permits were obtained for utilities and lines installed. Public dedication ceremonies for the visitor center were held on August 25, 1963, which also marked the 47th anniversary of the National Park Service.