Nelson Camp: Cultural Landscapes Inventory, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve

Region 11 Park Cultural Landscapes Program

Inventory Unit Description: Nelson Camp (XMC-072) is a component landscape of the Glacier Creek Historic Mining Landscape. It is located on the left bank of Glacier Creek near its confluence with the Chitisone River, within the boundaries of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska. Glacier Creek is fed by several large glaciers and is a tributary of the Chitistone river, which drains into the Nizina river, which drains into the Chitina River, which drains into the Copper River, which drains into the Gulf of Alaska. The inventory unit boundary is represented by an irregular polygon encompassing an area of approximately 20.6 acres. The site boundary conforms to the historic, unpatented claim boundary of the Cascade Quartz Lode Claim, staked by Nelson around 1935, and includes all known historic buildings, structures and objects and relevant landscape characteristics associated with the mining camp. Landscape characteristics include a collection of building and structure ruins, a number of small scale features, and views and vistas. Circulation features of the landscape include a trace of a haul road that leads to the prospect on the hillside above the camp, as well as traces of an access road that runs behind the cabins. The historic site represents a period of significance from 1929, when the camp was constructed by the Kennecott Copper Corporation, to 1949, when Nelson abandoned the camp and his claims on Glacier Creek. The landscape is significant under criteria A, for its contributions to the broad trends of local history, it is of local significance, and its area of significance is exploration/settlement and industry. The landscape satisfies the criteria for its property type as detailed in “Historic Properties Associated with Mineral Development in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska, 1898-1942”, a multiple property nomination to the National Register of Historic Places (Bleakley, 2000). While in poor condition, the site’s building and structural remains, as well as its objects still convey a clear sense of its historic function and use. The component landscape maintains integrity of location, design, materials, workmanship, feeling, association and setting.

Nelson Camp: Cultural Landscapes Inventory, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve

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