Protection and Conservation of the Yosemite National Park and its architecture - Essay Example

? Protection and Conservation of the Yosemite National Park and its architecture March 21, Letter to the Senator 21 March, Mr. John Doe, Senator, California, USA Subject: Conservation of important architectural features of Yosemite National Park Dear Mr. Senator, I am a nature conservationist working with a non-governmental self help group that is interested in promoting the natural beauty and older architecture of the Yosemite National Park. I wish to inform you about some structures, that were constructed in the early 1850s and that are now facing cuts in funding. Some of the places are Mariposa Grove, Curry Village, Parsons Memorial Lodge, Wawona Lodge and they represent a vital part of American history. With steep cuts in funding and the budget, it will be impossible to maintain the places. In the next few paragraphs, I will try to explain the architectural significance and cultural importance of these places. Curry Village: Curry Village is an unincorporated community based in the Mariposa County of Yosemite national park. The camp had its origins in 1899 when David Curry and Jenny Foster set up a tented camp for which they had obtained permission and rights. It was a bed and meal camp for 2 USD/ day. The camp gradually extended and it now includes wooden cabins for visitors, dining rooms, lodge and a post office. The architecture includes heritage grade structures such as rustic wood framed cabins with hipped roofs that are installed on stone foundation. Some of the old structures still available are the 1914 entrance, the registration office of 1904, the dance hall built in 1913, the Foster Curry cabin constructed in 1916 along with the Mother Curry Bungalow of 1917 and other structures. These are unique structures untouched by today’s commercial constructions and remind us of how our forefathers lived in the past century (Curry Cabin, 1978). Please refer to the following figure that shows the Curry Cabin. Figure 1. Curry Cabin at Yosemite Park (Curry Cabin, 1978) Parsons Memorial Lodge: The Parsons Memorial Lodge was built in 1915 by the Sierra Club in the Yosemite national park. It is one of the first structures built of stone in the park and it was built in memory of Edward Parsons, one of the clubs directors. The architecture is worth noting since it encloses 1400 square feet area and this is a one story structure. The walls are constructed with rubble masonry and concrete core with gray granite, pink feldspar for the mortar. While the base is more than thee feet, it gradually tapers to two foot at the top. A strong stone archway is used for the door and the low pitch roof is made of peeled log rafters. Interior and exterior log braces are rested on the external buttresses. Smaller peeled logs are placed on top of the rafter logs. It is regarded as a National Historic Landmark (Parsons Memorial Lodge, 2010). Please refer to the following image of the structure. Figure 2. Parsons Memorial Lodge (Parsons Memorial Lodge, 2010) Wawona Lodge: The Wawona Hotel was built in 1876 at Wawona in the Yosemite national park. The Victorian style hotel was meant to house tourists who visited the Mariposa Grove and other areas of the park. The structure is made of seven buildings with a circular drive and centered fountains. The external walls are aligned to the four cardinal directions. The buildings have a wood frame construction with painted exteriors. There are multiple porches and decorative woodwork. The architectural importance is that it is the largest Victorian hotel complex in America. The format used has a rural placement while the buildings have a Greek Revival style, stick style and Eastlake styles, evident in railings, brackets, cornice returns and decorative balustrades. Most of furniture are period pieces though not antique (HABS, 2010). Please refer to the following image of the hotel. Figure 3. Wawona Hotel, Yosemite National Park (HABS, 2010) Mariposa Grove: The Mariposa Grove is one of the natural wonders of Yosemite Park. The grove is made up of more than 30 giant Sequoias, the largest collection in the world. The grove was first found by members of the US cavalry, Galen Clark and Milton Mann in 1857. Some of the world famous Giant Sequoia trees such as the Grizzly Giant reputed to be 2400 years old, Bachelor and Three Graces, the Fallen Monarch, Clothespin Tree, California Tunnel Tree, Faithful Couple and many others. Many of these trees are more than 100 meters tall and the Mariposa grove is designated as a World Heritage center. Please refer to the following image of a Giant Sequoia tree (nps, 2013). Figure 4. Giant Sequoia Tree at Mariposa Grove (nps, 2013) Of special architectural interest is the Mariposa Grove Museum that was first constructed in 1860 with addition done over the century. The architecture is pure American frontier log cabin with two rooms. The gable roof is low pitched and covered with wood shingles with a lap of 24". The whole structure measures 201 x 45' and is made of sugar pine logs placed in alternating tiers. There is an interlock of 'V' north joint at the corners and also at the junction of the partition wall and the external walls. Gaps between the logs are chinked with a tight fitting split log wedges. A plank deck of 45' x 12' is placed along the southeast end. A granite chimney is built at the southeast end. Three doors are provided and a fireplace made of rough granite is placed in the room. Hand crafted furniture is placed on the floor, made of sequoia wood tables and benches (Mariposa Museum, 1978). My Request: Dear Sir, the previous paragraphs have explained the unique architectural and culture history that the places represent. If funding is stopped then the place will fall into decay, loggers will illegally cut down the glorious giant Sequoia trees and a vital link in American history will be lost forever. Our children will perhaps be able to only see pictures of these structures while we struggle to explain how we could not arrange for a few thousand dollars each year to preserve our history. Requesting your prompt action, Regards, Jane Doe, Secretary, Society for preservation of American History References Curry Cabin, 1978. Foster Curry Cabin. Retrieved 21 March 2013 HABS, 2010. Wawona Hotel, Hotel, Wawona, Mariposa County. Retrieved 21 March 2013 Mariposa Museum, 1978. Mariposa Grove Museum. Retrieved 21 March 2013 nps, 2013. Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias. Retrieved 21 March 2013 Parsons Memorial Lodge, 2010. Parsons Memorial Lodge. Retrieved 21 March 2013 Read More