Clear Creek State Park Family Cabin District
Why it's listed
Near Sigel in Jefferson County, the Clear Creek State Park Family Cabin District is a group of twenty-eight buildings and one structure built between 1933 and 1937 by the Civilian Conservation Corps, specifically CCC Camp S-53. The cabins sit in two clusters, one along Clear Creek and one along the Clarion River. Most are single or two-room log cabins with saddle-notched corners and white cement chinking, while others use irregularly coursed ashlar stone, wane-edged siding and stone chimneys. Nine of the cabins along Clear Creek housed officers and technical staff of the camp, and others served as a mess hall, headquarters and foremen's quarters. The district is regarded as an example of rustic park architecture that uses local materials and blends into its surroundings. It also reflects the New Deal's Depression-era relief work, which employed many young men, and an early joint effort by state and federal governments to build public recreation facilities.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the district is significant for its association with the Civilian Conservation Corps, a major New Deal relief program, and as an example of the rustic style promoted by the National Park Service. It also cites its role in recreation development and in state-federal cooperation on state-owned land.
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 87000106, listed February 12, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 4 mi. N of Sigel on PA 949, Sigel |
|---|---|
| County | Jefferson County |
| Listed | February 12, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87000106 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1933-1937 |
| Architectural style | Rustic |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Landscape Architecture, Conservation, Politics/Government, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | National |
| Acreage | 50 |
| Coordinates | 41.33455, -79.10262 (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 87000106.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q98843319
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.