Parker Dam State Park-Octagonal Lodge
Why it's listed
Built of logs by Civilian Conservation Corps crews in the 1930s, the Octagonal Lodge stands in Parker Dam State Park in Huston Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. It is an octagonal log structure with saddle corners, white cement chinking, a small log appendage at the rear, and a wooden cupola at the center of the roof. The park's camps were CCC Camp S-73, operating from May 1933 to October 1935, and CCC Camp S-118, operating from June 1933 to late 1941. The lodge is significant for its association with the Emergency Conservation Work of the Civilian Conservation Corps, a federal relief program of the New Deal. It also illustrates the rustic style of architecture espoused by the National Park Service, built with local natural materials to blend with its surroundings. The nomination describes it as the only octagonal CCC-built structure found in the state park system. The original roof and cupola were lost to a tornado in the early 1980s and rebuilt to the original designs.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the lodge meets Criteria A and C as a Civilian Conservation Corps building associated with New Deal relief work. It is cited as an example of the rustic style promoted by the National Park Service, and it is described as the only octagonal CCC-built structure found in the Pennsylvania state park system.
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 87000044, listed May 11, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 5 mi. S of Penfield off PA 153, Penfield |
|---|---|
| County | Clearfield County |
| Listed | May 11, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87000044 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1925-1949 |
| 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 original roof and cupola were destroyed by a tornado in the early 1980s and rebuilt to original designs. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.20895, -78.50288 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 87000044.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q26265137
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.