Historic Structures Report: Wolfe Ranch

James R. McDonald Architects; Historical Research Associates, Inc.

Arches National Park is a national park in eastern Utah, United States. The park is adjacent to the Colorado River, 4 miles north of Moab, Utah. More than 2,000 natural sandstone arches are located in the park, including the well-known Delicate Arch, as well as a variety of unique geological resources and formations. The park contains the highest density of natural arches in the world. This Historic Structures Report concerns the Wolfe Ranch Historic District. The proposed treatment for this property is preservation. Since its acquisition by the park service in 1948, the Wolfe Ranch has been used to interpret the homestead/settlement era. Fortuitously positioned near the trail head to Delicate Arch, the ranch figured prominently in planning documents from the 1930s, which noted that the buildings and the area in general should be protected during development of park infrastructure. Between 1968 and 1978, the Wolfe Ranch was designated an "environmental study area," used by local elementary schools as a subject of study and to "encourage creative thinking." Two major stabilization efforts have been conducted for the buildings and structures at this property, however, they are once again in need of repair. The most recent plans for the Wolfe Ranch Historic District are outlined in a Resource Management Plan "Problem Statement" dated 12/30/1997. That document states that the "most important need is stabilization of the dugout and the cabin, including reroofing [sic] both structures." The site is mentioned in the 1989 General Management Plan, as the only historical resource listed in the National Register. Due to the historical significance of this property, the proposed treatment is preservation.

Historic Structures Report: Wolfe Ranch

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