Cook Forest State Park Indian Cabin District
Why it's listed
Twelve log family cabins on Toms Run behind the park office at Cooksburg in Forest County, Pennsylvania, were built between 1933 and 1935 by Civilian Conservation Corps crews working from Camp SP-2 and its predecessor, CCC Camp S-100. The cabins are single-room, gable-roofed log structures with white cement chinking, several with an inset porch supported by log poles and one with an external stone chimney. The district is significant for its association with the Civilian Conservation Corps, a New Deal federal relief program, and for its rustic architecture, which the National Park Service promoted and which uses local natural materials. Its recreational use has continued for roughly fifty years. The cabins are also linked to the employment of many young men who were jobless or homeless during the Depression. The only non-contributing building is a modern latrine and washhouse built in 1965.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the district is significant under Criteria A and C for its association with the Civilian Conservation Corps work of the New Deal and for its rustic architecture, which the National Park Service promoted and which blends with the natural setting. It also cites recreational use for about fifty years and the employment of jobless young men in the program. The district is presented as part of the Emergency Conservation Work architecture theme in Pennsylvania state parks.
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 87000019, listed February 12, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Off PA 36 at Cooksburg, Cooksburg |
|---|---|
| County | Forest County |
| Listed | February 12, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87000019 |
| Resource type | District |
| 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) | Condition recorded as good; integrity recorded as good. |
| Acreage | 6.8 |
| Coordinates | 41.33397, -79.20877 (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 87000019.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q98843348
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.