Photo by Mark A. Larson
Salvaged and cleaned redwood boards from the restoration work on one of the Family Houses are stacked next to those being repurposed due to rot.
Photo by Mark A. Larson
The ends of the large old growth redwood planks used for the Family House roof are chiseled into a scalloped pattern.
Photo by Mark A. Larson
Yurok Trail Crew member Ro-tah Shorty, of Crescent City, used a drawknife to smooth edges of a redwood board.
Photo by Mark A. Larson
Walt Lara Sr., of the Yurok Tribe, paused for a moment in his master builder role to check in with his restoration crew.
Photo by Mark A. Larson
The restoration work underway revealed the massive redwood beams inside the Family House located at the south end of Sumêg Village. Please respect the caution tape on site.
Photo by Mark A. Larson
Yurok Trail Crew members Napooi Shorty (left) and Michael Wolf, both of Crescent City, team up with sledge and wedges to split out beautiful redwood boards from an old growth log.
Photo by Mark A. Larson
Yurok Trail Crew member Michael Wolf (right) held a wedge being hammered in by Napooi Shorty as they split out multiple beautiful redwood boards from an old growth log. Pre-European contact, elk antlers were shaped into wedges for this task.
Photo by Mark A. Larson
Yurok Trail Crew member Michael Wolf, of Crescent City, repositions a large redwood slab that was being split into boards.
Photo by Mark A. Larson
Greg Collins, supervisor of the Cultural Resources Program and District Tribal Liaison for the California State Parks' North Coast Redwoods District, described how the restoration crew salvaged and cleaned some of the roof planks for reuse on the Family House behind him.
Photo by Mark A. Larson
Yurok tribal member and Senior Park Aide Jake Reed, of Hoopa and McKinleyville, used a chisel to create the finishing touches on the beams to be used in constructing the new women's Dressing House.
Photo by Mark A. Larson
Sumêg Village interpretive sign side A describes the planned geographic layout of the recreated village and the uses of the various structures.
Photo by Mark A. Larson
Sumêg Village interpretive sign's side B describes the traditional construction design and techniques.
Photo by Mark A. Larson
Construction crew members Senior Park Aide Jake Reed (left) and Yurok Trail Crew members Napooi Shorty and Michael Wolf (partially hidden) lift the first of the new roof planks onto the framework of the new women's Dressing House.
Photo by Mark A. Larson
Master Builder Walt Lara occasionally moved inside the framework of the women's Dressing House under construction to offer advice to a crew member.
Photo by Mark A. Larson
"My favorite part of the project has been watching the boys do the work," said Walt Lara Sr. "They're a pretty good crew and it's important that traditional people are here doing it."
Photo by Mark A. Larson
Traditional construction techniques are being used to build the women's Dressing House, including use of hazel rope lashings instead of nails. Hazel wood saplings are burned and then soaked to make a pliable but extremely strong and durable rope. These ties are used to lash together the beams in the frame and the planks to the ceiling beams.
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Photo by Mark A. Larson
Yurok Trail Crew members Napooi Shorty (left) and Michael Wolf, both of Crescent City, team up with sledge and wedges to split out beautiful redwood boards from an old growth log.
