In 1917-18, the Forest Service recognized the Big Creek Ranger Station as the “most important secondary protection station site in the Lower North Fork district.” Ten years later, the Forest Service reinforced the designation by building this one-and-one-half-story permanent residence. The oldest extant building at the station, the 1927 Ranger’s House originally doubled as the station’s office. Its design displays Craftsman influences combined with a rustic aesthetic, a typical format for USDA Forest Service buildings in the West and particularly in Northern Region One. Coursed wood shingles cover the gable-roofed frame dwelling. The home’s projecting eaves, its exposed rafter tails, and its inviting, full-length front porch reference the Craftsman style. Interior detailing, such as the kitchen’s beaded wainscoting and the living room’s wooden window trim and tongue-in-groove fir flooring, also shows Craftsman style influence. The choice of the Craftsman style reflected national and local architectural trends as well as the Forest Service’s building philosophy, which included utility, respect for nature, and harmony with the environment.
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