Pulltite Cabin Site: Cultural Landscapes Inventory, Ozark National Scenic Riverways

Regions 3, 4, & 5 Park Cultural Landscapes Program

Inventory Unit Description: Pulltite Cabin Site is located within Ozark National Scenic Riverways, in Shannon County, Missouri. It is most easily accessed by canoe or by wading across the Current River from the Pulltite Campground, which is off State Highway EE. The Pulltite Spring Branch empties into the Current River and an access trail runs along the south bank of the branch, which is only about one tenth of a mile in length. The headwaters of the spring issue out from the base of a limestone bluff. To the south of this, in the adjoining hollow, is the Pulltite Cabin. The Pulltite Cabin was built by an association of six businessmen from St. Louis who reportedly discovered the site while on a float trip down the Current River. They purchased approximately 311 acres in 1911 and completed construction of the cabin in 1913. The families of the six men shared the site for recreational purposes. They hunted in the surrounding forest, stocked Pulltite Spring with trout for fishing, canoed, and generally socialized in a relaxed setting. The partners prearranged title transfers, so that when a member died his share was lost, rather than passed on to family. E.B. MacDonald was the last surviving member and therefore full owner of the property. After his death, ownership then passed down through his family until the National Park Service purchased the property in 1967. The Pulltite Cabin Site is eligible for the National Register at a local level of significance, under criteria A and C. It is associated with the rise of modern recreation, particularly the regional trend of hunt and field clubs that drew on the membership of wealthy businessmen. The cabin is a notable example of Creole style architecture, typified by the vertical log walls, broken pitch gable roof, and shingled gable ends. The period of significance is from 1911 through 1967, beginning with the construction of the cabin and spanning the occupancy of the original owners. The site, which is approximately one acre of the original 311) is the only surviving example of a private recreational dwelling from the early 1900s within Ozark National Scenic Riverways. The limited structural features are a reminder of the purpose and function of the landscape as a place of retreat and outdoor recreation.

Pulltite Cabin Site: Cultural Landscapes Inventory, Ozark National Scenic Riverways

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