Merced Grove Ranger Station
Also known as: Building 6200
Why it's listed
Set beside an old dirt road in the Merced Grove of Giant Sequoias in Yosemite National Park, this log cabin is a ranger station known as Building 6200. The National Park Service began building it in 1933, and it was finished in July 1935. It measures about 24 by 28 feet and has a living room, kitchen, one bedroom, bath and two porches, with a stone foundation and chimney and a shingled gable roof. Its peeled logs have sawn ends that taper inward as they rise. Each log is adzed on its underside into a curved trough that fits over the log below, so the walls need no chinking. The design is described as a stylized version of pioneer foothill cabins, shaped to blend with the landscape, and it differs from other rustic buildings in the Yosemite area. For many years Yosemite superintendents used it as a quiet summer retreat for paperwork, and Superintendent Carl Russell is believed to have worked on a history of the park there.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues local significance in architecture for its unusual variation of NPS rustic design, a stylized version of pioneer log cabins meant to blend with the natural scene. Its logs have battered, inward-sloping ends and are adzed into curved troughs so they seat tightly without chinking. It also served for many years as a summer retreat for Yosemite superintendents.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 78000358, listed June 15, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | N of El Portal in Yosemite National Park, El Portal |
|---|---|
| County | Mariposa County |
| Listed | June 15, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78000358 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1934 - present |
| Architect / builder | National Park Service |
| Architectural style | Rustic (NPS rustic design) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as publicly owned, occupied, and used as a park museum with restricted access to the exterior only; the back door is damaged, apparently chewed by an animal, and the logs retain almost no protective stain. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 37.74876, -119.84028 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 78000358.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6818070
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.