PIPE SPRING Cultures at a Crossroads: An Administrative History

Historic Buildings

The Fort

As mentioned in the previous chapter, the fort's parlor and kitchen floors, removed in late 1976, had still not been replaced by the time Herr arrived in April 1979, nor had the moisture problem along the north wall been addressed. Regional Historical Architect Rodd Wheaton and Regional Historian John Albright visited the monument on May 18, 1979, to make plans for the upcoming stabilization work to be performed that summer. At the end of August, Historical Architect Rick Borjes and Bill Slimmer (both regional office) met with Herr for a pre-bid conference on the planned stabilization. Herr reported in late September that the spring flow was up to 500 gallons per day again, causing standing water under the floor area. In spite of 27 inquiries, by the end of September no bids had been received on the stabilization job. The closing date was extended another month, to no avail. No contract was awarded in 1979, and the regional office set about revising the proposal to re-advertise the job.

143. Work in progress on the fort's underground drainage system along the north wall, June 1980 (Pipe Spring National Monument).

Finally on April 3, 1980, a contract for $80,700 was awarded to Hall Brothers of Hurricane, Utah. [2344] A pre-construction meeting was held in Herr's office on April 14. The contractor moved equipment on site that week. In addition to Rick Borjes, John Conron and Dave Muths attended this meeting, along with Keith and Milt Hall and Zion officials. [2345] Work began in the fort on May 5 and was completed on September 5. Former Superintendent Bernard Tracy supervised the project. Work under the contract required removal of all cement mortar, repointing the joints with soft lime mortar, and replacing or refacing seriously deteriorated sandstone. In addition, an underground drainage system was installed to divert the flow of water from underground fissures. (This also required removal of an earlier drainage system installed by Leonard Heaton in the winter of 1947-1948.) The new drainage system contract required that 1) the fill areas adjacent to the north, east, and west walls be excavated to the bottom of the footings; 2) bentonite waterproofing be installed along the foundation; 3) new six-inch drain tile be installed along the north, west, and east walls; 4) two new four-foot round concrete drainage basins be placed at the northwest and northeast corners of the fort, about one foot below the drain tile; and 5) two new eight-inch PVC drain/sewer pipes be installed along an existing line to the spring pool. [2346]

The final inspection and close-out was made on September 5, 1980, by Rodd Wheaton, Rick Borjes, and John Conron, along with Chief of Maintenance DeVor Pollack and Administrative Officer Dave Crocker from Zion. [2347]

During 1981, Conron and Muths made a study to determine the color of paint originally used on the fort. The study determined that the fort's exterior woodwork, except for doors and doorways, was originally unpainted. The earliest paints applied were by former Custodian Leonard Heaton, referred to in the report as the "green/red/cream" phase, with later phases being an "all white" scheme. [2348] The study found that the subdued colors used on room interiors were most likely similar to those originally used. As the original exterior woodwork was deteriorating, it was decided that it needed to be either painted or treated with preservative. [2349] While the Conron and Muths study recommended the green/red/cream phase be used (considered "historic" even though it originated under Heaton), the decision was made to retain the white color scheme.

In the summer of 1982, the fort's catwalk was rebuilt. [2350] Railings and balusters on the balconies were replaced as needed and others were stripped and repainted white. During late summer 1983, the fort was reroofed. The old cedar shakes and felt underlayment were stripped off, replaced with red cedar shingles. Factory assembled ridge caps were installed at the ridges. [2351] Gutters were replaced and rain barrels installed to collect the water. In addition, a major regrouting project on the fort walls, begun June 25, 1983, was completed September 30. [2352] In late November that year, work began on replastering the ceilings and walls. These projects were done under contract, overseen by Rick Cronenberger. Replastering work was completed in the spring of 1984. (Intrusion and fire alarms were also rehabilitated about this time.) That year the regrouting of the fort's courtyard was also completed. In 1987 the fort's southeast chimney was completely rebuilt.

The East and West Cabins

Little work on the east and west cabins was reported by Herr during his tenure. Termites were discovered in 1983 and exterminated that same year. In 1986 Herr reported that the exterior walls of the east cabin were repointed. At that time the walls of the west cabin were still held together with Portland cement mortar.

No other major work on the cabins was done until six months after Herr's departure, during the summer of 1989. Rehabilitation work was originally planned for both the west and east cabins, but west cabin work used all the available funds, thus no work was done on the east cabin. [2353] From late June through August, the Bryce Canyon preservation assistance team assisted Pipe Spring staff with rehabilitation work on the bunkhouse. Rick Cronenberger and Building and Utilities Foreman Michael Lee (Bryce Canyon) provided technical oversight for the project. [2354] Historical Archeologist Bill Hunt (Midwest Region) excavated the east room of the west cabin. Hunt advised the monument that an archeological survey was needed around both cabins. Work on the west cabin included replacing the bentonite roof with built in drainage and peeling of existing split log sheathing, relaying of the back stone wall and installation of drainage, and repointing of stone masonry, interior and exterior. [2355] Termites were also discovered and exterminated. Except for repointing, most of the work on the bunkhouse was completed just before a severe rain and hailstorm hit the area on August 18, 1989. Monument buildings were unharmed, although demonstration gardens were devastated by the storm. [2356]

The funding for the rehabilitation work ran out before repointing could be done on the west cabin. The bunkhouse remained closed to the public for the remainder of the year and into 1990, awaiting funding to pay for repointing the cabin's stone walls. Funding in the amount of $20,300 was provided to complete the rehabilitation work in fiscal year 1990 but it was ultimately diverted to pay for an archeological investigation in and around both east and west cabins.