Historic Designed Landscape: Cultural Landscape Inventory, Chiricahua National Monument, National Park Service

Morrow, Reardon & Wilkinson, Ltd.; Ruter, Helana

Located in southeastern Arizona, Chiricahua National Monument was established to preserve and protect natural rock formations known as “The Pinnacles.” The period of significance for the Historic Designed Landscape is from 1924 to 1940. The Monument contains 11,985 acres, 10,290 acres of which is designated wilderness. The landscape is a unique, sky‑island type, biotic community fostering isolated, distinctive flora and fauna. The man‑made elements in the monument include homestead, ranching and 1930s landscape development by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The landscape features built by Civilian Conservation Corps are sited and constructed according to principles articulated by the designers of Chiricahua National Monument, including Albert Good. The buildings themselves are strong statements of the ‘Government Rustic’ style of architecture used in units of the National Park Service and are currently in good condition. The Historic Designed Landscape is significant in the areas of politics/government, social history, and entertainment/recreation and for its association with New Deal Work Relief Programs: Civilian Conservation Corps. With the development of the New Deal program, agencies such as the Civilian Conservation Corps were employed to continue the construction of recreational facilities within national parks, forests, and monuments. Development on these federal lands accelerated dramatically with the availability of labor and funding in 1933. Without the availability of CCC labor, Chiricahua National Monument would have likely remained substantially undeveloped. The importance of the CCC contribution to the monument and the community cannot be overstated. The landscape is also significant under for its association with US Forest Service and National Park Service Recreation Development and Natural Resource Conservation: Fire Prevention. CCC enrollees at Camp NM2A were responsible for the construction of access facilities (road, parking areas, and trail), the L‑4 Lookout, and extensive telephone communication systems. While most trails were designed primarily for recreation, they were constructed through some of the most densely forested areas of the monument and thus provided rapid access for firefighters. Natural Bridge Trail was initially constructed for the sole purpose of rapid access into Picket Park. The Sugarloaf Trail had the dual purpose of providing fire lookout access as well as an opportunity for recreation The Historic Designed Landscape is associated with Edward Murrey Riggs. Ed Riggs was a leader in the community of southeastern Arizona and a strong proponent of a proposed monument throughout its early history. Riggs was one of the first to thoroughly explore the the Wonderland of Rocks and personally advertised its beauty throughout the community with his photographs. Riggs lobbied local, state, and national officials for reservation of the area as a national monument , which it eventually became in 1924. The Historic Designed Landscape is significant for its Naturalistic Landscape Design and National Park Service Rustic Architectural Design. The Rustic Style was employed in all park structures built between 1916 and 1942. Park Service designers apply this architectural style along with the complementary naturalistic landscape design in order to create built environments that appeared historic and melded with the surrounding environment. The Historic Designed Landscape as a whole and its individual structures, features, and buildings retain a high level of integrity.

Historic Designed Landscape: Cultural Landscape Inventory, Chiricahua National Monument, National Park Service

Series

Collections