Preservation Field School and Repair of the Gem Mine Headframe, Ore Bin, and Mill at Death Valley National Park
Project ID: P19AC01190
Federal Agency: National Park Service
Partner Institution: University of Vermont and State Agriculture College
Fiscal Year: 2019
Initial Funding: $367,000
Total Funding: $572,002
Project Type: Technical Assistance
Project Disciplines: Interdisciplinary
National Park: Death Valley NP
Principal Investigator: Porter, Doug
Agreement Technical Representative: Wilson, Kevin
Abstract:
Background
Over the course of Westward expansion, Death Valley was an obstacle to westward movement and an area to be avoided. The one thing that brought Anglo settlers to the area was its mineral wealth. First borax, then silver, and finally gold. Other metals, including zinc, were also found in paying quantities. The Gem Mine, later known as the Corona mine, is located at the end of Jail Canyon on the west side of Death Valley on the west slope of the Panamint Mountains. It was a relatively small operation that produced silver, lead, and zinc. The spring in Jail Canyon produced enough water to power a three-stamp mill with a water wheel, the first one to be used in the Death Valley area. The mine shipped several thousand dollars of bullion monthly starting in the winter 1899-1900.
The preservation of the structures at this site will require the skills of professional timber framers trained in the repair of historic timber buildings assisted by interns from the Timber Framers Guild.
During the field school, students and volunteers will have the opportunity to work side-by-side with experienced historic preservation professionals. Participants will acquire knowledge and understanding of the underpinnings of historic preservation philosophy and gain hands-on training and experience in historic preservation-specific skills, especially as they apply to timber construction. This will be accomplished by having the participants execute an actual preservation project on this historic resource. They will learn techniques for assessing wood condition – particularly concerning heavy timber framing, and will learn how to determine when wood deterioration has reached the point where wood members require repair or replacement. They will work with professional timber framers to learn how to dress timbers, cut and fit structural wood joints, and to safely disassemble and reassemble timber framing.
At the conclusion: of this project, the headframe, ore bin, and mill structures at the Gem Mine will be stabilized, with failing structural elements repaired or replaced and overall improvement of their structural integrity. This will result in improved site safety for both visitors and NPS staff, and will serve to preserve the historic integrity of this valued cultural resource. Expected products from this project include a final report that documents the repair work, and web-based informational and educational media content to be shared with the public on DEV A’s website.
Objectives
Investigators from the UVM and NPS staff will collaborate to accomplish the following specific objectives:
1. Identify, assess, and prioritize the stabilization and repair needs of the headframe, ore bin, and processing mill of the Gem Mine.
2. Develop and present various preservation options, and develop a repair plan based on the preservation goals of DEVA and NPS.
3. Conduct a field school to provide training in the repair techniques to be implemented in the repair ofthe mine’s structures.
4. Develop a report based on the results of assessment and repair work. The report will include a narrative description of the tasks completed, project goals realized, and project photo documentation.
5. Develop web-based informational and educational media content related to the project objectives and results, and post to DEV A’s website.