In Internships

These Internships were an introduction to the History, Architecture and Landscapes Division (HAL) of Resources Management and Science at Yosemite National Park. Interns assisted the Park Historical Architect, Historical Landscape Architect and Park Historian with inventory, documentation, and evaluation of National Register-eligible structures, other historic structures, cultural landscapes, and historic park studies. Interns worked in both the National Park Service offices in El Portal and in the field.

During summers 2006 and 2007, interns with the park’s History, Architecture and Landscapes program focused on two primary projects. The first project was to update the List of Classified Structures for Yosemite National Park. These classified structures included buildings, bridges, trails, tunnel trees, and other features considered “historic” by the park. The interns worked to organize the database and determine an approximate location for each structure. Then, they drove, hiked or backpacked to reach each site. Once there, they recorded the GPS point of the structure, photographed it, wrote a short physical description, and evaluated its condition. Back in the office, the interns entered this information into the List of Classified Structures database to update the record for each structure visited.

The second project each summer was to assist with a portion of the historical narrative for a Cultural Landscape Inventory. During summer 2007, interns worked on a Cultural Landscape Inventory for Soda Springs. This work involved historical research, editing, proofreading, fact-checking and writing. During summer 2006, interns worked on the Tuolumne Meadows Cultural Landscape Inventory. The Cultural Landscape Inventory, as part of the Tuolumne Meadows Wild and Scenic River Plan Update, explored the ways in which people have influenced and used different areas of the Tuolumne Meadows region over time. This project involved both fieldwork and library research. Fieldwork was conducted in the Tuolumne area and involved recording information about specific buildings and their spatial relationships. Research was conducted in the Yosemite archives and research library, where the interns sought out primary and secondary sources which would aid them in completing a physical history and chronology of the Tuolumne Meadows Lodge and High Sierra Camp, to be used as part of the Cultural Landscape Inventory.

Dates
This internship was offered in summer 2007 and summer 2006.