Olympic National Park Headquarters Historic District

Olympic National Park Headquarters Historic District
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district
Olympic National Park Headquarters
Location	600 E. Park Ave., Port Angeles, Washington
Nearest city	Port Angeles, Washington
Coordinates	48°06′03.75″N 123°25′58.25″W / 48.1010417°N 123.4328472°WCoordinates: 48°06′03.75″N 123°25′58.25″W / 48.1010417°N 123.4328472°W
Area	38 acres (15 ha)
Built	1940
Architect	National Park Service
Architectural style	Rustic
MPS	Olympic National Park MPS
NRHP Reference #	07000720 [1]
Added to NRHP	July 13, 2007

The Olympic National Park Headquarters Historic District overlooks Port Angeles, Washington from Peabody Heights, consisting of six contributing buildings built in 1940-41 and several more non-contributing buildings that act as the administrative headquarters for Olympic National Park. The contributing structures were built using locally obtained native materials in a late interpretation of the National Park Service Rustic style. Native landscaping enhances the site. Much of the work was carried out by Public Works Administration and Civilian Conservation Corps workers.^[2]

The most significant building is the Administration Building, a two-story masonry and wood frame structure with a long, horizontal design, emphasized by linear banding in the shingle cladding of the second story. The Custodian's Residence or Superintendent's Residence housed the park superintendent until the 1980s when it was converted to offices. The irregularly shaped two-story building is similar in style and materials to the headquarters.^[2]

A somewhat separated area comprises several maintenance buildings. The Gas and Oil Building uses coursed stone and heavy timber, with a porte-cochere extending from the front to shelter gas pumps. The Transformer Vault and Pump House is similar in character. The Equipment Shed/Carpenter Shop is a stone and frame building in a saltbox shape with projecting bracketed eaves that anticipate the Mission 66 style structures on the 1950s and 1960s. The Equipment and Supply Building, measuring 199 feet (61 m) by 32 feet (9.8 m) is a masonry and frame building, with a large frame extension that burned in 1965. This section was replaced with a historically faithful copy in 1970.^[2]

The Headquarters District is close to the park, but outside its primary boundaries. It was the first park headquarters to be situated outside its park.^[2] The district was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 13, 2007.^[1]

References

1. National Park Service (2009-03-13). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
2. Evans, Gail E.H.; Toothman, Stephanie; Luxenberg, Gretchen; Haertel, Kirstie L.; Wray, Jacilee (1998) [1986]. "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Olympic National Park Headquarters District" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved 25 March 2011.