Historic Structure Report: Lagoon Island Cabin

Crosby, Grant; Feil, Heather

Historic Structure Reports (HSR) are the primary document to initiate preservation planning for a historic resource and include documentary, graphic, and physical information about a property’s history, its character defining features, existing condition, and recommendations for treatment. HSRs provide the owner, in this case, Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve (GLBA), with step-by-step guidance for the recommended treatment based on the historic use and integrity, character defining features, current condition and proposed use. This Historic Structure Report was developed by the Alaska Regional Office (ARO) through Cultural Resources Funding. The project was initiated by Project Management Information System (PMIS) 343440 in 2017. Preliminary research and historical background was developed by Robert Lyon in 2012, a Term Historian based in the regional office in Anchorage. Architectural Historian, Heather Feil continued the development of the property’s history and Historical Architects, Grant Crosby and John Wachtel, conducted a site visit in October 15-16, 2018 to record and assess the building. Wachtel utilized a Trimble TX8 to scan the cabin in high definition and prepare base drawings in AutoCAD software. Crosby recorded details and assessed the condition of the cabin in order to prepare the physical description, condition assessment, recommendations for treatment, and design drawings for this Historic Structure Report. Senior Curator, Kelsey Lutz provided direction and recommendations for the objects associated with the Lagoon Island Cabin. The graphic design was completed by ARO Historical Architect Intern, Phebe Davis. The Lagoon Island Cabin is the oldest and first official site of the National Park Service’s presence at Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. The cabin was constructed in 1942 during World War II by the Civilian Aviation Authority (CAA) as the Pleasant Island Bunkhouse supporting the Gustavus airfield “Fan Marker”. 1 Following the war, the National Park Service acquired the building through surplus and moved it to Lagoon Island in 1950 to provide housing and office space for the new park unit. The Lagoon Island Cabin’s Period of Significance is 1950 to 1957 which encompasses the building’s relocation to Lagoon Island and the associated alterations by the National Park Service to accommodate its use as housing and office space for Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve.

Historic Structure Report: Lagoon Island Cabin

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