Bryce Canyon Lodge/Deluxe Cabins: Cultural Landscape Inventory, Bryce Canyon National Park, National Park Service
Mardorf C, Miller K, University of Arizona, College of Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Planning. 2010. Bryce Canyon Lodge/Deluxe Cabins: Cultural Landscape Inventory, Bryce Canyon National Park, National Park Service. Cultural Landscapes Inventory Report. 850501. NPS Intermountain Regional Office. Intermountain Regional Office/CLI Database
The Bryce Canyon Lodge and Deluxe Cabins landscape is located south of the Lodge Loop Road and between the Rim Road and the plateau rim. Out of the 26 buildings nominated to the National Register, 16 were designated as a National Historic Landmarks in 1987. These included the Bryce Canyon Lodge, ten Deluxe Duplex Cabins and five Deluxe Quadruplex Cabins. Other structures include the Recreation Hall, Men’s Dormitory, Pump House, Linen House, and the six Standard Cabins to the list. The landscape can be roughly defined by the Rim Road to the west, the Sunset Viewpoint to the south, the Sunrise Viewpoint to the north and the Rim Trail along the eastern edge. The area encompasses a labyrinth of visitor facilities, parking lots, pedestrian and equestrian trails and is one of the most visited zones within the Park. Overall, the Bryce Canyon Lodge and Deluxe Cabins landscape is significant because of its role in early planning efforts as an example of the substantial role of landscape architecture in Rustic style and Simplified Rustic style of national park design and planning. The focus upon integration of the natural and built environments, and the aesthetic importance given to creating communities that felt as though they were a part of the forest were critical factors in the early development in Bryce Canyon National Park. The area has also had an important role in visitation and management since the Park was created. Many historic features remain today, instilling a sense of landscape character throughout the area. Although, even in areas where significant structures have been removed (such as the Standard Cabins), the remaining natural landscape maintains a significance on its own. The Bryce Canyon Lodge Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its association with the development of the Bryce Canyon National Park’s recreational facilities and as an example of Rustic building design. The District is associated with the development of concessionaire facilities and partnerships between the NPS and Union Pacific Railroad’s Utah Parks Company (1924‑1944) and reflects the architectural work of Gilbert Stanley Underwood (1890‑1960) who was an American architect praised for his lodge designs. The Bryce Canyon Lodge Historic District established a period of significance from 1924‑1944; the start date is aligned with construction of the main Lodge building and spans, to the end of World War II in 1944. This was an era characterized by the development of visitor facilities by the Utah Parks Company and the National Park Service. Since the period of significance, changes within the park as a whole have contributed to a reduction in the importance of the Lodge within the Park. The development of the Visitor Center and additional lodging opportunities outside the Park has transformed the Historic Lodge area from the central visitor facility at the Park to a minor element and an experience for only a limited number of visitors. The site retains integrity, and remains to be in fair condition.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Mardorf, Carrie; Miller, Katie; University of Arizona, College of Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Planning
- Date of Issue
- 2010-08-30
- Publisher
- NPS Intermountain Regional Office
- Units
- BRCA , IMR
- Keywords
- Architecture, Architecture, Boarding House, Bryce Cabin Lodge Historic District, Bryce Canyon Lodge, Bunkhouse, Business, cabin, Commerce, Community Planning and Development, Concession, Conservation of Natural resources, Daniel Ray Hull, Deluxe Cabins, domestic, Dormitorty, Entertainment, Gilbert Stanley Underwood, Historic Designed Landscape, Historic Preservation, hotel, Kane County, Landscape architecture, Lodge, lodging, Origin and Development of the National Park Service, Recreation, residential, Rustic style, Service Industry, Single Family Dwelling, The Federal Government Enters The Movement, Tourism, Tourism, Utah, Utah Parks Company