stabilization of historic structures at jualpa mine camp ... · stabilization of historic...

Stabilization of Historic Structuresat

Jualpa Mine Camp Historic DistrictPhase V

FY' 01Historic Preservation Fund Grant ProgramProject Number: 01353

Final Reportof

Preservation Workon the

Compressor Buildingand

Transformer House

Community Development Department

Final Report – Stabilization at Jualpa Mine Camp Historic District

REPORT OF WORK PERFORMED

Project: 01353 - Stabilization at Jualpa Mine Camp Historic District - Phase VPerformance Period: October 1, 2000 through September 30, 2002.Report By: Gary Gillette, Project ArchitectPhotos By: Renee Hughes, PhotographerDate: November 4, 2002

Background

The work of this project was performed to continue stabilization of the historic Compressor Buildingand Transformer House associated with the former Alaska Juneau Gold Mining Company’s hard rockmine in Juneau, Alaska. The buildings and site of the Jualpa Mine Camp Historic District are listed onthe National Register of Historic Places.

Work of the project included the documentation of existing conditions through photographs; renovationof an original door on the Transformer House; removing, restoring and reinstalling two original windows;replacing rotted window sills with new wood sills; repairing or replacing rotted or damaged trim atdoors and windows; and installing perforated drain pipe on the south side of the Compressor Buildingand Transformer House for positive drainage. In addition, a small air intake structure was rehabilitated.

All rehabilitation work followed the design parameters of the Secretary of the Interior's Standards forRehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings.

Specific Tasks

The following is a list of the specific tasks, which were performed to complete this phase of the overallstabilization efforts at the Jualpa Mine Camp Historic District.

# Photographed existing conditions prior to commencement of work# Removed existing window sashes of two window units for preservation work# Removed broken glass, repaired sashes where necessary, installed new glass and glazing,

painted sashes# Removed and replaced rotted window sills# Replaced window sashes and exterior trim where necessary# Painted exterior trim, sills and sashes to match original green color# Photographed rehabilitated windows# Hand graded a drainage swale at southeast rear of Compressor Building# Installed perforated drainpipe in drainage swale to carry water away from building foundation# Drilled a 4" hole through concrete for the drain pipe to empty into a drainage flume under the

Compressor building


# Placed washed rock over the drain pipe along south side of Compressor Building# Salvaged original wood door formerly hung on the interior of the Transformer House# Removed rotted wood pieces from door for Transformer House# Prepared replacement wood pieces for door on Transformer House# Photographed work in progress of door restoration for Transformer House# Placed new wood pieces on existing door for Transformer House.# Applied epoxy liquid wood and filler to stabilize punky areas of wood that were not replaced

with new wood on existing door for Transformer House# Painted door to match original trim color# Pre-drilled all holes for sliding door hardware# Removed existing sliding door track from building# Installed new sliding door track hardware on building# Hung restored door at original opening on Transformer House# Repaired or replaced wood trim for rehabilitated door on Transformer House# Dug trench for foundation drains on south side of Transformer House# Placed drain pipe on south side of Transformer House in trench# Placed washed rock over drain pipe# Installed concrete pavers between Compressor Building and Transformer House for positive

drainage# Installed treated wood sill over drain pipe on south side of Transformer House# Cleaned area north of Compressor Building of old steel objects stacked against building# Removed vegetation around Transformer House and Compressor Building# Photographed completed work of the project

Funding and Volunteer Assistance

The work of the project was performed by volunteers of the Gastineau Channel Historical Society. Anumber of volunteers provided work for this phase of the project including students from the MillerHouse, a facility of Juneau Youth Services. Other workers included a photographer, laborers, andcarpenters. Volunteers provided 408 hours of labor for a value of $9,478.00. The CBJ provided$917.46 of in-kind services in the form of administrative oversight for the project. The HistoricPreservation Fund Grant provided $3,818.18 for materials, supplies, and special labor costs. TheHistoric Preservation Fund Grant is a federal program administered by the Alaska State HistoricPreservation Officer through the Office of History and Archaeology.

Results of the Project

This phase of preservation work at the Jualpa Mine Camp Historic District was a success resulting inmajor steps forward to save one of only a handful of remaining buildings of the great gold mining era inthe Juneau area. The work of this phase of the project nearly completes the planned stabilization workof the Compressor Building and Transformer House.


The nature of the work of this project was extremely labor intensive. The physical relationship betweenthe buildings and the topography of the land meant that much manual labor was necessary to haulmaterials to the site, excavate for positive drainage, and other similar tasks. The restoration of windowsand doors featured many time consuming steps to remove, restore, and replace existing materials.Rehabilitation of the sliding door on the Transformer House included fabrication of certain pieces tomatch original pieces. Over half of the original door was retained and only rotted or broken piecesreplaced. Rehabilitation of the air intake structure included replacement of rotted wood with treatedwood. The rusted and bent metal roofing was replaced with recycled metal to match the original. Theoriginal screen mesh was salvaged and reused.

Preparation and installation of the drain pipe was especially labor intensive as there was not room formechanical equipment. All digging was performed by hand and the gravel had to be hauled with 5 gallonbuckets.

No particular problems were encountered during the project. Despite the labor intensity of the work,the remote site location, and the discovery of unanticipated rot, the project progressed very well. Thesuccess of the project has instilled a sense of ownership and pride among the many volunteers who haveworked on the project over the five phases. Locals and visitors who have explored the site andbuildings have expressed appreciation for the efforts to save these important historic buildings.

Historic Preservation Goals

The stabilization work performed at the Jualpa Mine Camp Historic District is in keeping with Goal 3 ofAlaska's Historic Preservation Plan - "Strengthen efforts to identify, study, designate, interpret, andprotect or treat significant archaeological and historic resources."

The on-going work to stabilize the buildings of the Jualpa Mine Camp Historic District fulfills a numberof objectives of the City and Borough of Juneau and the Gastineau Channel Historical Society. Theyare as follows:

The CBJ Comprehensive Plan Policy 4.18 states, "It is the policy of the CBJ to identify and protecthistoric and archaeological resources; to educate, encourage and assist the general public inrecognizing the value of historic preservation; and to promote heritage tourism which accuratelyrepresents Juneau? s unique Native Alaskan, Russian, Early American and other cultures."

The CBJ Last Chance Basin Land Management Plan Objective O-2 states, "Encourage andenhance resident and visitor appreciation of Last Chance Basin's rich historical heritage."

The CBJ Last Chance Basin Land Management Plan Policy P-10 states; "Continue to protect thevaluable historic resources in the Basin."

The CBJ Last Chance Basin Land Management Plan Policy P-11 states, "Work with a qualifiednon-profit organization, such as the Gastineau Channel Historical Society, to develop and maintain


interpretive material, perform preservation activities, seek funding for establishing disabled accessto the historic mining buildings, and to eventually re-open the former mining museum."

The Gastineau Channel Historical Society Bylaws objects and purposes are, "... to bring about thepreservation of historic buildings, monuments, markers, and grave sites."

This project was the fifth phase of an overall plan to stabilize the historic buildings of the Jualpa MineCamp Historic District. The enthusiasm of the volunteers and the community at large assures that thisand future projects at the site will preserve one of Juneau's most important historic resources.

Historic Resources Advisory Committee

The HRAC is the CBJ appointed body that reviews issues relating to historic resources in thecommunity. The Committee has been kept informed of the progress of the rehabilitation project at theJualpa Mine Camp Historic District throughout the five phase of the work. This summer the Committeeheld one of its regular meetings at the site to observe the work first hand. In 2001 the Committeeawarded the Volunteers of the Gastineau Channel Historical Society an award of excellence for its workto preserve the buildings and site of the Jualpa Mine Camp Historic District in Juneau.


JUALPA MINE CAMP HISTORIC DISTRICTSITE PHOTO

Locomotive Repair Shop Rail Yard & Tracks

Compressor Building and Transformer House

Gold Creek (at bottom just outside photo)


COMPRESSOR BUILDING

BEFOREThis small structureprovides protection forthe air intake at theCompressor Building.The base wood wasrotted causing it to pullaway from the concreteand fall down the hill. Themetal roofing had nosupport causing bendingand was badly rusted.

AFTEROriginal roof structuralmembers were retained.Plywood sheathing wasinstalled to support therecycled metal roofing thatmatches the original. Treatedwood base and postsreplaced the rotted wood.The original wire mesh wasreinstalled.


COMPRESSOR BUILDING

BEFOREBoth photos show the two remaining windows to berehabilitated on the Compressor Building. The sillswere rotted and had been cut off at the wall line.Plywood covered the windows and the side trimpieces had been removed.

The photos also show the drain system in progress.Water was seeping into the buidling due to poordrainage. A drain swale was hand graded andperforated drain pipe was laid.

DURINGVolunteer drills 4" diameter holethrough concrete flume wall fordrainage pipe.


COMPRESSOR BUILDING

DURINGAt top is rotted window sill which wasremoved. The refabricated sill wasinstalled.

DURINGVolunteer applies window glazingduring window restoration work.


COMPRESSOR BUILDING

AFTERThe two windows on the right ofthe photo and shown belowwere restored. Glass and glazingwas removed. New glass wasinstalled where the original wasbroken or missing. New woodsills replaced the rotted sills.Original head trim and frameswere retained. All exterior woodwas painted to match originalgreen color.

Photos also show new drain pipe covered with washed rock. The new system directs water runoff to aconcrete flume running under the building and to daylight on the north side of the building.


TRANSFORMER HOUSE

BEFOREThe original sliding door had been removed from theinside of the building in the 1960's. It was then nailedwith 60 penny galvanized spikes to the outside of thebuilding over the door opening. About 1993 highwinds caused a negative pressure within the buildingand the door was blown out onto the ground.Plywood was placed over the opening and the doorwas taken inside the building. When the door wasblown out one side was broken with the fall to theground. Upon inspection it was discovered that a fairamount of rot was evident in the tongue and groovewood and trim pieces (see photos below).


TRANSFORMER HOUSE

DURINGVoluneer working to replace rottedwood members of door.

DURINGVolunteers with completed door prior topainting. Only rotted or broken pieces werereplaced.


TRANSFORMER HOUSE

AFTERVolunteer stands on inside of building uponcompletion of door restoration. The door washung on new sliding door hardware. Theoriginal hardware was rusted to the point it wasnot operable. Replacement hardware was notavailable.

AFTERRenovated door with new side trim andtreated wood sill. Original frame and headtrim were retained. All wood was paintedto match original green color.

Final Report – Stabilization at Jualpa Mine Camp Historic District Page 15

COMPRESSOR BUILDING

AFTERThis pile of assorted metalobjects was removed byvolunteers from against thebuilding foundation justaround the corner from thewindow shown in the photo.

AFTERAssorted metal objects shown inphoto above were packed in thiscorner of the building against thefoundation. The pile of materialwas causing drainage problems.The area has now been gradedfor positive drainage away fromthe builidng.


TRANSFORMER HOUSE

BEFORERain runoff from the Compressor Building andTransfomer House was seeping into the building as aresult of poor drainage.

DURINGThe area was hand graded and a drainage swale wascreated. Care was taken to preserve the extantrailroad ties. A perforated pipe was installed underthe ties.

DURINGThe trench has been dug and perforated pipeinstalled. The pipe runs under the existing railroadties. Care was taken to retain the ties as part of thehistoric rail line.


TRANSFORMER HOUSE

DURINGVolunteer digsdrainage trenchfor drain pipe tocarry runoff awayfrom builidng.

AFTERThe drainage trench with perforated pipe installed wascovered with washed rock. Above photo shows historicwood culvert piece used to daylight drain system. Phototo right shows washed rock in place over drain pipealong building. Since completion the drainage systemworks well and water has been eliminated from thebuilding.


TRANSFORMER HOUSE AND COMPRESSOR BUILDING

BEFORE (no photo)The area between theCompressor Building andTransformer House wasloose gravel which did notdrain well. Often waterstood in the area.

AFTERThe new drain pipe liesunder a treated woodbuilt-up sill at theTransformer House door.Patio block was placedbetween the two buildingsfor positive drainage.

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