The first of two volunteer projects to prepare the Willard Tool House to move to Peterson Prairie begins this Friday, July 19.  The project runs through the weekend.  The second project occurs July 26-28.  For more information, contact MAI. Read the Forest Service’s press release below for more details:

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Join us this summer on the beautiful Gifford Pinchot National Forest as we “reconstruct the past!” as part of a Passport in Time (PIT) Project.

On September 11, 2012, the historic Peterson Prairie Cabin, constructed in 1926, burned to the ground. The loss of this beautiful and historically significant building was devastating, and has motivated both the Forest Service and the interested, local public to pursue a replacement structure. After a little searching, it was decided that the nearby historic Willard Tool House will be transported to and installed on the Cabin’s former location. The Tool House was originally constructed in 1940 by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) as part of a seven-structure complex that formed the Willard Work Center, a former Forest Service ranger station facility. The building is a great example of “Rustic Style” architecture, and will fit the look and feel once exhibited by Peterson Prairie Cabin.

Our project will occur over two phases, the first of which will take place this year. During Phase I, PIT volunteers and Forest staff will prepare the building for transport to the Peterson Cabin site. Preparation will include painting, removal of various fixtures and hardware, installing new flooring, and securing portions of the structure for the move. There can be no true replacement for what the Forest lost in the Peterson Cabin, but with your help, this important piece of history can find a new home and help heal the wound! There is much to see and do here during the hours “off the clock,” and volunteers will also have the opportunity for an informative tour during the presentation of the Wind River Training Center, an NRHP (National Register of Historic Places) structure also constructed by the CCC.