Tim Kelley letter to the Presidio Trust

July 9, 2003

Craig Middleton
Presidio Trust
34 Graham Street, P.O. Box 29052
San Francisco, CA 94129-0052

Dear Mr. Middleton:

I write to ask you to reconsider your decision not to accept the Kirkham 1906 Earthquake shacks for display at the Presidio.

Since your decision was based on concern for compliance with National Park Service guidelines, I call your attention to National Register Bulletin 15; How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, particularly to the discussion of Criteria Consideration B: Moved Properties. In that section, it is stated that a portable resource may still be eligible for listing in the National Register if it is moved within its natural setting.

Earthquake shacks such as these were designed to be moved, and were in fact moved unknown numbers of times within their natural setting, San Francisco. They were so readily and commonly transported that the origin of any particular shack is generally indeterminable. It is safe to say that none remain in their original setting. However, this does not reduce their historical integrity in the way it would that of a more permanent building.

Given that so few of these structures remain, and that the most important characteristic of their historical setting was their close grouping in large numbers of identical structures, I would say that every shack that can be added to the two presently at the Presidio would enhance the historic value of that display.

I urge you to reconsider your decision in this matter. Please feel free to call if you have any questions.

Sincerely yours,

Tim Kelley, President San Francisco Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board

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