Parker Dam State Park Family Cabin District
Why it's listed
Built by Civilian Conservation Corps crews between 1933 and 1941, the Family Cabin District at Parker Dam State Park in Clearfield County comprises twenty-four buildings, sixteen of which contribute to its character. The cabins are one- to three-room structures in the rustic style, built of stone, wood frame with wane-edged siding, or saddle-cornered logs chinked with white cement. Many have stone fireplaces, stone porch columns, or stone chimneys. Camps S-73 and S-118 worked in the park, and the CCC's reforestation of the 895-acre park shaped much of its wooded setting. The district is regarded as one of the largest family cabin groups the CCC built in Pennsylvania. It is significant as a product of the New Deal's federal relief program, which employed many young men who had been jobless or homeless, and as an example of state and federal cooperation on state-owned land. The buildings also show the rustic design philosophy of the National Park Service, which used local natural materials to blend structures into the landscape.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the cabins are associated with the Civilian Conservation Corps and the New Deal's Emergency Conservation Work, and that they exemplify the rustic architecture style promoted by the National Park Service. It describes the district as one of the largest CCC family cabin areas in Pennsylvania and as representing federal-state cooperation and relief employment during the Depression.
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 87000043, listed February 11, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 5 mi. S of Penfield off PA 153, Penfield |
|---|---|
| County | Clearfield County |
| Listed | February 11, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87000043 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1933-1941 |
| Architectural style | Rustic |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Landscape Architecture, Conservation, Politics/Government, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The document describes the cabins as in good condition with excellent integrity and used as recreational facilities, but gives no current status beyond that. |
| Acreage | 19.3 |
| Coordinates | 41.19715, -78.51538 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 87000043.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q26265135
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.