{"nrhp_refnum":"78000283","name":"Moro Rock Stairway","other_names":[],"category":"structure","location":{"address":"N of Three Rivers in Sequoia National Park","address_restricted":false,"city":"Three Rivers","county":"Tulare County","state":"CA","lat":36.544085478000056,"lon":-118.76496593899998,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1978-12-29","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Landscape Architecture","Engineering"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A 797-foot series of stairs and ramps leading to the summit of Moro Rock, a granite dome on the southern rim of the Giant Forest plateau in Sequoia National Park, near Three Rivers, California. It was built by the National Park Service in 1931.","why_significant":"The nomination argues local significance in landscape architecture and engineering. Landscape Architect Merel Sager and Engineer Frank Diehl designed the 1931 stairway to blend with the rock, following natural ledges and crevices and using granite rubble masonry and tinted concrete. It reflects National Park Service rustic architecture, though later alterations such as metal rails and added stairs reduced its integrity.","narrative":"Moro Rock Stairway is a 797-foot route of stairs and ramps climbing a granite dome on the southern edge of the Giant Forest plateau in Sequoia National Park. The National Park Service built it in the summer of 1931 to replace a wooden stair that had become dangerously deteriorated by the 1920s. Landscape Architect Merel Sager and Engineer Frank Diehl chose the route and materials to harmonize with the rock. The path follows natural ledges and crevices, and its retaining walls and parapets are random coursed granite rubble masonry matching the stone's color, with tinted concrete underfoot. The design reflects the Park Service's rustic architecture approach of the period. It was recognized for local significance in landscape architecture and engineering, based on the sensitive design and the quality of the masonry. Later metal rails and additional steps have reduced some of its original character, but the basic route has remained unchanged since 1931.","period_of_significance":"1931","architect_builder":"National Park Service (Landscape Architect Merel Sager and Engineer Frank Diehl)","architectural_style":"National Park Service rustic architecture","criteria":[],"status_note":"Condition is listed as excellent, though alterations such as metal safety rails and added concrete steps over bedrock ramps have been made since 1931.","vacant_flag":null,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:55:31.884621-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_CA/78000283.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/78000283/d17991a8c4-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/78000283/d17991a8c4-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 2.0","author":"m01229 from USA","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stairs_up_to_Moro_Rock_-_sequoia_National_Park_(32020449642).jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">m01229 from USA</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 2.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stairs_up_to_Moro_Rock_-_sequoia_National_Park_(32020449642).jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/123862235","wikipedia":null,"wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q49887351"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/california/tulare-county/moro-rock-stairway-78000283/"}