Coast and Geodetic House
Dear Editor: Following is a letter sent to Sen. Lisa Murkowski.
Dear Sen. Murkowski: My name is Mike Trainor. I live in Sitka. I worked for the U.S. Forest Service, Sitka Ranger District from 1975 to 2010. I had dual roles during that time as a facility manager and maintenance mechanic.
One of the duties that I enjoyed most and had a lot of pride in was maintenance on the Coast and Geodetic house located at 210 Seward Street, locally referred to as the “White House.” It was built in 1916 and was the original magnetic observatory operated by the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey. The building also had a seismograph in the basement. I don’t know the details but the house became the property of the U.S. Forest Service. It has been used as housing for employees and as office space for both the Forest Service and the local historical society. The house has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The house was always well maintained. The roof had been replaced on a regular basis and it was kept painted. The kitchen was remodeled, siding and wiring were replaced, and the grounds were kept up.
In the last two years the Forest Service has taken dismal care of the property. They have not been good stewards of the historic home. It is currently sitting vacant. Vandals have broken a window. There have been many complaints by neighbors and even tourists have expressed their dismay. Only half the lawn was weed-eated once last summer. Downspout elbows have rusted away and water is getting into the basement. The fuel tank started to leak four months ago.
They had the remaining fuel pumped out but the tank was not replaced. One can only assume there is no heat in the building to prevent pipes from freezing and to prevent mold and decay.
The electrical meter is not moving so it is clear that there are no electric heaters on. Money is tight but it is obvious that the agency does not care.
Another federal agency which has lots of experience caring for historic structures would like to take over the building. Sitka National Historical Park of the National Park Service has need for the home. They have more funding sources available to them and a skilled maintenance work force.
The Forest Service wants a million and a half dollars for the facility. This is extremely excessive.
If they are going to let the building sit and rot they should give the structure to the Park Service before it is too late and the building has to be torn down.
I ask you, Senator Murkowski, to intervene in this situation and transfer the home before it is too late. I have also contacted the State Historical Preservation Office and expressed my dismay at this situation.
Thank you,
Michael Trainor, Sitka
