National Register of Historic Places

Tharp's Log

Three Rivers, Tulare County, California
Listed
March 8, 1977
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
77000117

About this property

Tharp's Log is a hollowed giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) log at Log Meadow in the Giant Forest grove of Sequoia National Park that was used as a shelter by early pioneers. The log is named after Hale D. Tharp, who was described as the first Non-Native American to enter the Giant Forest. Tharp had arrived in 1852 in the goldfields around Placerville, becoming a cattleman rather than a miner. Tharp moved to the area of the Kaweah River in 1856, and with guides from the Potwisha people of the area he explored the mountains above. Tharp went back in 1860 with his two sons. They climbed Moro Rock and made an encampment near Crescent Meadows. It was not until 1869 that Tharp moved a cattle herd into the Giant Forest area. Tharp established a small summer cattle ranch at Giant Forest and used a fallen log as a cabin. The log was hollowed by fire through fifty-five feet of its seventy-foot length. A fireplace, door and window exist at the wider end, with a small shake-covered cabin extension. Cattle Cabin – another building associated with Hale Tharp in the Giant Forest area. National Park Service – Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park Sights: Tharp's Log National Park Service – "Challenge of the Big Trees," Caucasian Settlers come to the Southern Sierra, with history on Hale Tharp

Location

Three Rivers, Tulare County, California
36.56109, -118.74245

Categories

EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Squatter's Cabin
Industrial
0.6 mi
Cattle Cabin
Industrial
1 mi
Giant Forest Lodge Historic District
Listed
1.4 mi
Moro Rock Stairway
Industrial
1.7 mi
Giant Forest Village-Camp Kaweah Historic District
Listed
1.8 mi

Questions about this property

When was Tharp's Log listed on the National Register?

Tharp's Log was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 8, 1977.

What type of historic resource is Tharp's Log?

Tharp's Log is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Tharp's Log?

The period of significance for Tharp's Log is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Tharp's Log?

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