Death Valley Scotty Historic District Cultural Landscape Report
Melnick RZ, Matthews L, Howard C. 2019. Death Valley Scotty Historic District Cultural Landscape Report. Cultural Landscape Report. U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. San Francisco, California
The primary purpose of the Cultural Landscape Report for the Death Valley Scotty Historic District is to provide treatment recommendations for cultural landscape resources at Scotty’s Castle and Lower Vine Ranch. The goal of the treatments is to address damage from the 2015 flood, improve the overall condition of the cultural landscape, make the landscape more resilient to future impacts of climate change, such as flood events, and anticipate and respond to impacts of other planned projects for the site on cultural landscape features. This Cultural Landscape Report has two parts. Part 1 incorporates information from the Scotty’s Castle Cultural Landscape Inventory, the Lower Vine Ranch Cultural Landscape Inventory, the National Register of Historic Places nomination, (as amended) and the draft 2014 CLR. It includes site history, documentation of existing conditions, and a summary of analysis and evaluation of cultural landscape features. Part 2 of the CLR provides treatment recommendations for preservation and rehabilitation of significant resources in line with park management objectives, park operations, and maintenance. The Death Valley Scotty Historic District is situated in Grapevine Canyon within Death Valley National Park in California. The historic district is comprised of two discontiguous parcels. The smaller, but more prominent, eastern parcel is known as the Upper Vine Ranch and encompasses Scotty’s Castle, an oasis of Spanish-influenced buildings and structures. The second parcel, known as the Lower Vine Ranch, is located west of Scotty’s Castle. The most prominent built resources associated with this locale includes Scotty’s ranch house, garage, grain shed, blacksmith shed and a corral. Scotty’s Castle and Lower Vine Ranch were historically known collectively as Death Valley Ranch. The presence of several natural springs strongly influenced Albert Johnson’s siting and development of the ranch. Throughout the 1920s, Johnson actively worked to gain control of the springs. This was achieved, in part, through the construction of a perimeter fence that encompassed the springs and drainages on the ranch. Eventually, Johnson would harness the springs through a system of pipes and reservoirs, which were used to facilitate construction activities and be used for domestic and agricultural use. In addition to the natural springs, the topography and the natural morphology of Grapevine Canyon were also crucial factors that influenced Johnson’s decision to build the ranch in this area.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Melnick, Robert; Matthews, Laurie; Howard, Casey
- Date of Issue
- 2019-07-25
- Publisher
- U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
- Units
- DEVA , PWR
- Keywords
- agriculture, Albert Johnson, Bessie Johnson, chimes tower, Death Valley Ranch, designed landscape, Dewey Kruckeberg, erosion control, estate, flood, flood damage, flood protection, Gospel Foundation of California, Grapevine Canyon, guest house, Jacob Steininger, Lower Vine Ranch, mining, ranch, recreation, reservoir, Scotty's Castle, Spanish-styled architecture, springs, swimming pool, Timbisha Shoshone, tourism, Upper Vine Ranch, Walter Scott
- Subjects
- CRIS-CL: 725097: Lower Vine Ranch , CRIS-CL: 725096: Scotty's Castle (725096)