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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 8, 2021)
4 Wednesday, September 8, 2021 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon History repeats itself at Clear Lake By Bill Bartlett Correspondent Clear Lake in neighbor- ing Linn County is a popular recreation site with Sisters Country folk. The 142-acre lake with a maximum depth of 175 feet is one of the clearest and coldest lakes in the Cascades. It is the source of the McKenzie River. The bottom of the lake, one of the premier freshwater diving spots in North America, is a perfectly preserved, ancient forest. While situated inside the Willamette National Forest, the lake and its resort, trails, boating (non-motorized), camping, and lodging are designated as a Linn County park. A hallmark feature of the lake is its picnic pavilion constructed in 1938 by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) the Depression-era voluntary public work relief program for unemployed, unmarried men ages 18-25. During its nine years of operation, three million young men participated in the CCC, which provided them with shelter, clothing, and food, together with a wage of $30 (equivalent to $600 in 2020) per month ($25 of which had to be sent home to their families). Much of the work of the CCC was constructing buildings, trails, foot bridges, and camp sites on federal lands. One of those projects was the Clear Lake picnic shelter and warming hut constructed entirely of local, natural materials. It is a rustic-style, humble edifice about 75 feet from the lakeshore with a shaded view. No doubt, thousands of picnickers, scouts, church and youth groups, and occa- sional wedding parties have availed themselves of the 1,500-square-foot roofed structure. The building is typical of the times built with hand- hewn timber up to 16 inches in diameter. The round logs with interlocking corners weigh up to 1,500 pounds each. Most of the logs have withstood the test of time, but not all. And the hand-split, cedar-shake roof was all but a disaster waiting to happen. The impressive masonry fire- place was no longer usable, with warning signs posted. Enter HistoriCorps and Northwest Youth Corps, who are rehabbing the iconic structure to its former gran- deur before winter and the snows set in. HistoriCorps is a Colorado-based founda- tion committed to preserv- ing historic structures on public lands across America. Vo l u n t e e r s w o r k w i t h HistoriCorps field staff to learn preservation skills and put those skills to work sav- ing historic places that have fallen into disrepair. <HistoriCorps works to ensure America9s cultural and historical resources exist for generations to come,= said Executive Director Bart Berger. Northwest Youth Corps (NYC), founded in 1984 and headquartered in Eugene, offers challenging education DAVIS TIRE Our family can take care of your family of autos & trailers and job-training experiences that help youth and young adults from diverse back- grounds develop the skills they need to lead full and productive lives. <Our programs stress teamwork, inclusion, and leadership while promoting a solid work ethic and individ- ual achievement. Youth leave NYC knowing that they can overcome obstacles, solve problems, make friends, and attain their objectives in life,= said Executive Director Jeff Parker. Jason Benson is the on- site project supervisor. He is himself a master carpenter with 20 years9 experience working in public lands. His role might best be described as classroom teacher, show- ing students traditional build- ing skills using tools more common to the era of origi- nal construction. His Youth Corps students appeared eager to learn and demon- strate their newfound skills when The Nugget visited last week. <This is a typical project for us,= Benson said. <We are removing and replacing about 40 percent of the roof and walls.= Next week masons will work to restore as much as 20 percent of the all-stone chimney. When asked what was most satisfying about his work, Benson replied: <I really enjoy engaging with volunteers of all ages and abilities to accomplish a common goal. It9s fun to see the satisfaction on their Skillfully fabricating… Brakes • Axles • Ball Joints • Suspension • Shocks • Struts PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT Young workers with HistoriCorps and Northwest Youth Corps are restoring a CCC-built shelter at Clear Lake west of Sisters. faces when they learn how to use a new tool or tradi- tional technique, then use that newfound knowledge to help preserve unique historic structures like the Clear Lake shelter. Everyone goes home feeling good at the end of the week.= The massive logs shown here that will supplant the rotted timbers are sal- vage logs from the nearby Holiday Farm fire, a massive, 15 $ Per hour for crew if you’re available to open or close. Join our team in Sisters today! TIRE INSTALLATION, ALIGNMENT, REPAIR, BALANCING, ROTATION Sisters Industrial Park 188 W. Sisters Park Dr. 173,000-acre, devastating blaze last October along the McKenzie River. The young men and women workers are painstakingly chipping away the outer burn of the logs and shaping them so as to be indistinguishable from the originals they will replace. In 1938 it was CCC. In 2021 it9s NYC. Young people making a difference and blaz- ing forest enjoyment. 50 to $ 18 75 Per hour for certified shift manager with anytime availability. Plus FREE meals at work! Serving Sisters Since 1962 541-549-1026 Swedish, Deep Tissue & Therapeutic Massage WITH ALESHA M. FARIS L.M.T. …your ideas (and ours) in steel, aluminum, copper & other metals. $60 for 60 minutes $80 for 90 minutes Mention this ad… License #20721 Call or text to schedule appointment 204 W. Adams Avenue, Suite 103B, Sisters 1000 $ FOR 25% OFF YOUR FIRST MASSAGE! 541-306-9344 Apply at McDonald’s in Sisters: www.McHire.com or text OR68 to 38000 “Your Local Welding Shop” CCB# 87640 541-549-9280 207 W. Sisters Park Dr. PonderosaForge.com Hiring Bonus! SISTERS MCDONALD’S EMPLOYEES: Receive $200 with each of your first five paychecks. Average 15 hours a week to qualify for bonus and be employed with the Sisters Mc- Donald’s at the time of payments. Bonus may end at anytime.