From the Rangers' house, the trail goes through a wooded area and crosses the upper reaches of Looking Glass Creek. Depending on the season, you may be able to see some of our local wildflowers along the way, including the easily recognized Great Laurel, Rhododendron maximum, blooming in July.
| Schenck's Office- Schenck's summer office was built from an abandoned barn, using only half of the barn. His secretary used the front room. One desk was for typing, the other for running off exams and handout information on a letter press. The back room was Schenck's. Here he graded exams, answered correspondence and prepared lessons. Surveying instruments and field equipment were stored in the loft overhead. |
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Just a little farther along, we reach...
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The Black Forest Lodge- Schenck built several lodges for his Rangers, imitating the architecture used in the Black Forest of Germany. They were located at strategic points throughout Pisgah Forest where his Rangers could watch for game violators and unauthorized timber cutting. They would also be handy to fight forest fires. Some Rangers had special assignments such as operating a trout hatchery and pheasant breeding. A Ranger's salary was $50 per month, an assistant Ranger's $25 per month.The Cantrell Creek Lodge, near the visitor center, is another of these houses that Schenck had built. |
| It is interesting to compare the differences in the German architecture with that of the southern Appalachian building techniques. Although Schenck's office was a converted barn, and not originally a dwelling, the dove-tail work on the corners of the building is typical of local construction techniques used in barns as well as houses. The way the logs lock together, along with the weather and rot resistance of the chestnut logs that were the preferrred building materials, combine to create a sturdy structure that could stand for a long time. |  |