Tuolumne Meadows
Also known as: Buildings 3010; 3011; 3012; 3013; 3014; 3015
Why it's listed
Six wood-and-stone buildings on a forested hillside south of the highway at Tuolumne Meadows, in Yosemite National Park, make up a summer work-crew camp built in 1934. The group includes a T-shaped mess hall and kitchen, four small bunkhouses and a toilet and shower room. Foundations are native stone, walls combine redwood lap siding with board and batten, and roofs are shingled, with a large stone fireplace in the mess hall lounge. The camp replaced older housing demolished when the Tuolumne Meadows auto road was rebuilt. Civilian Conservation Corps labor built it under Public Works Administration funding, supervised by architect John Wosky from National Park Service plans. Crews working on roads and other projects in the high country used it from the 1935 season. The buildings are valued as a restrained example of mid-1930s National Park Service rustic design, using native stone and wood to blend with the surroundings. Nearby tent frames and metal-clad storage sheds are not considered significant.
Significance in brief: The complex is considered locally significant in the social/humanitarian category because it was built by Civilian Conservation Corps labor as a Public Works Administration project. It is also locally significant architecturally as a good example of mid-1930s National Park Service rustic design that blends with its forested setting.
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 78000371, listed November 30, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | SW of Lee Vining in Yosemite National Park, Lee Vining |
|---|---|
| County | Tuolumne County |
| Listed | November 30, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78000371 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1934 - present |
| Architect / builder | National Park Service |
| Architectural style | National Park Service "rustic" architecture |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The mess hall is described as little changed from its original form and condition; the buildings housed summer road construction crews and laborers after 1935. |
| Acreage | 0.4 |
| Coordinates | 37.87147, -119.37313 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 78000371.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q36663747
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.