The settlement of the American West was directly dependent on the extraction of resources including minerals, precious metals, timber, and the commerce that resulted. The infrastructure that developed around these extraction activities was intended to be merely functional, and therefore temporary. Readily available forest resources made timber structures relatively inexpensive and easy to build; they could be put into service quickly and were adequate to immediate needs. Many of these structures survive today at former mining and milling sites, along with remnants of the railroad lines that served them. Together they provide a compelling picture of the development of the American West and the technologies used to extract, refine, and transport the materials that initiated settlement of the region. Preservation of these sites and structures poses many interesting problems: Most of the structures were designed to meet short-term needs and have already outlasted their intended service life; Most of the structures were strictly utilitarian, and maintenance of them was discontinued when mining or logging operations ceased; Exposure of these structures to severe weather conditions is typical. The structures are at remote sites and access is extremely limited; Many of the structures are dangerous due to the extent of deterioration and proximity to open mines, adits, and industrial waste. In this presentation, the authors will use three case studies to illustrate preservation issues common to remote resource extraction sites, techniques used to access the timber structures, and some of the stabilization strategies implemented at each of the sites. The case studies include the aerial tramway of the Keane Wonder Mine in Death Valley National Park, the Cable Mountain Draw Works in Zion National Park, and the Hanging Flume in Colorado.
Battle against extinction: native fish management in the American West