Canelo Ranger Station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Canelo Ranger Station
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Canelo Ranger Station office building.
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 Location in Arizona
Location in the United States
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| Location | Canelo, Santa Cruz County, Arizona |
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| Area | 3 acres (1.2 ha) |
| Built | 1932-33 |
| Architect | United States Forest Service (USFS) |
| Architectural style | Bungalow/Craftsman |
| MPS | Depression-Era USDA Forest Service Administrative Complexes in Arizona MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 93000513 |
| Added to NRHP | June 10, 1993 |
The Canelo Ranger Station, also known as the Canelo Work Station, is a special historic place. It's found in the Coronado National Forest in southern Arizona. This old station is located near the small, quiet area of Canelo. It sits in a pretty valley, surrounded by the Canelo Hills and the Huachuca Mountains.
This station was built in the early 1930s. The United States Forest Service (USFS) and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) worked together on it. In 1993, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important historical site. The station is known for its unique Craftsman and Bungalow style.
Contents
Building the Canelo Ranger Station
Building the Canelo Ranger Station began in November 1932. This was even before the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was fully set up. The CCC later helped build and improve many ranger stations and parks in Arizona. This happened during the Great Depression, a time when many people needed jobs.
Forest Service workers first started building a new adobe house for the rangers. While digging for the basement, they found something unexpected. They unearthed a redwood coffin! Inside were the remains of Captain Joe Parks, a local pioneer. He had settled in the Canelo area in 1882. After the coffin was moved, workers poured concrete for the basement. This part was finished in early December 1932, and then work stopped for the winter.
On June 16, 1933, the Canelo Ranger Station complex was finished. A small adobe barn was completed using old materials. Besides the house and barn, new buildings were added. These included an office, a three-bay garage, and a small pumphouse. All these buildings were made from adobe brick. The office building looks like others in Patagonia and Lowell Ranger Station. But instead of a flat adobe roof, it has a wooden gabled roof. This design helped it blend in with the nearby forest.
Soon after the station was built, the CCC arrived. They helped build stone walls around the office and house. They also improved the roads, worked on the landscaping, and built corrals for horses.
Why Canelo Ranger Station is Important
The Canelo Ranger Station is a great example of a USFS complex from the Great Depression era. It shows how the Forest Service grew. It changed from just watching over lands to actively managing natural resources. This important work continues even today.
Most of the station, including its stone walls, is still in great shape. It has not changed much over the years. A few small updates have been made. But the station still looks very much like it did when it was first built in the 1930s.
Buildings at the Station
Several buildings at the Canelo Ranger Station are considered important. They are listed on the National Register of Historic Places:
- Office: This is an adobe building in the Bungalow/Craftsman style. It has two entrances, two offices, and a bathroom.
- Residence: This is also an adobe building in the Bungalow/Craftsman style. It has two bedrooms, a bathroom, a living room, a kitchen, a dining room, and a basement.
- Garage: A long adobe building with a wooden gabled roof. It has one entrance and three bays for vehicles.
- Barn: A small adobe building with a wooden gabled roof. It is located next to the horse corral.
- Pumphouse: A small adobe building with a wooden gabled roof. It was once used for pumping water and is now used for storage.
Images for kids
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The pumphouse and well along Turkey Creek (2015).
