National and State Registers of Historic Places
Bluemont Youth Cabin
Goodnow Park
Manhattan (Riley County)
Listed in National Register
Jan 8, 2014
Architect: National Youth Administration (builder)
Category: outdoor recreation
Thematic Nomination: New Deal-era Resources of Kansas
The Bluemont Youth Cabin was built in Manhattan's Goodnow Park in 1938 with assistance from the National Youth Administration (NYA), a depression-era federal assistance program designed to aid the nation's youth though part-time work and valuable construction training. Over 100 local youth participated in the construction of the cabin through Riley County's NYA program. Designed by Manhattan city engineer Harold Harper, the cabin was constructed of limestone quarried from Bluemont Hill. It is an excellent representative of New Deal-era rustic park architecture characterized by its local building materials and wooded, terraced setting. Once complete, the facility provided meeting space for the Boy Scouts, members of the NYA, and the children of Manhattan. It was nominated as part of the "New Deal-Era Resources of Kansas" multiple property nomination for its local significance in the areas of entertainment/ recreation, politics/government, and architecture.
