Giant Forest Lodge Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Giant Forest Lodge Historic District
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Cabin A, Giant Forest Lodge
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 Location in California
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Three Rivers, California |
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| Built | 1900 |
| Architectural style | National Park Service Rustic |
| NRHP reference No. | 78000287 |
| Added to NRHP | May 05, 1978 |
The Giant Forest Lodge Historic District was once a large area in Sequoia National Park where visitors could stay. It was built in a special style called National Park Service Rustic. This district was also known as Camp Sierra.
It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in May 1978. The lodge was located right in the Giant Forest, which is famous for its huge giant sequoia trees. What makes this place special is that most of it was later taken down by the National Park Service. This was done to protect the amazing "Big Trees" from being harmed by too many buildings.
Building a Place for Park Visitors
The first simple camp in the Giant Forest started in 1899. It was just a group of tents. A road reached the area in 1903, making it easier for people to visit. More permanent buildings followed. The very first lodge was built in 1915.
In 1921, a company called Sequoia and General Grant National Parks Company built the main lodging area. This was next to a place called Round Meadow. This was the first area to be officially named "Giant Forest Lodge." That same year, another camp, Camp Kaweah, was set up nearby. This was to make sure there was enough space for all the visitors.
Why the Lodge Was Removed
By 1926, a study showed that the buildings were actually hurting the giant trees. The park superintendent, Colonel John White, suggested removing the buildings in 1927. However, the company running the lodge disagreed, and the buildings stayed. Still, Colonel White was able to set limits on how many guests could stay. This was the first time such limits were put in place in any National Park.
More reports in the 1960s confirmed the problem. They showed that the buildings were affecting the water flow in the area. Also, stopping fires near the buildings was bad for new sequoia trees. A famous report by nature expert A. Starker Leopold also criticized the Giant Forest development. By 1971, the park's plan was to reduce human impact in the Giant Forest. By 1980, everyone agreed that the visitor facilities should be moved.
Taking Down the Buildings
The National Park Service decided to remove the development in the 1990s. Demolition began in 1997. By 2000, all the buildings, roads, and other structures in the Giant Forest Lodge area were gone.
New visitor services were set up at nearby Camp Kaweah. The old Giant Forest Village Market building, designed by Gilbert Stanley Underwood, became the Giant Forest Museum in 2001. Visitors can now reach the Giant Forest by taking a shuttle bus from this new location.
The new place for visitors to stay is called Wuksachi Village. It is about five miles north of the Giant Forest. This new village is much further away from the precious sequoia grove.
The removal of the Giant Forest buildings was a big decision. It showed how the Park Service balances its job of protecting nature with its job of preserving historic places. In this case, protecting the giant trees was seen as more important.
