Customer Reviews

Patterns from the Golden Age of Rustic Design: Park and Recreation Structures from the 1930s

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This guide, originally printed in the 1930s, is an incredibly complete overview of the many structures created in state and national parks from across America. Every kind of structure, and I mean EVERY kind, is represented here with an amazing number of photographs and plans so that you can reproduce them on your own property.

Whether you want to make a simple stone fire pit or a two-story timber-frame visitor's center, this is the book for you. Chapters include fences, signs, administration buildings, drinking fountains, comfort stations, fire lookout towers, trail steps, bridges, picnic shelters, fire pits, outdoor theaters, cabins, bath houses, and lots more. There's even chapters on furnishings and camp layouts.

The book is written in the somewhat flowery tongue of the early 20-century style, but it's quite readable and in some cases truly amusing, especially when discussing the evils of vandalism. A particularly funny passage is found in the chapter about signs:

"Barring an act of God, like a cyclone, or assault by that instrument of Satan, the initial carver, signs like these promise long life... In spite of all the evidence to the contrary, [the initial carver] is a physical, as well as mental, sluggard and is likely to think twice (we flatter him) before he will stand on his head or shinny up a post to accomplish his scandalous, vandalous ends. Twin to the jackknife pest is the souvenir hunter. Signs too appealingly picturesque and easy to get at and carry away fall prey to his pack rat instincts."

I always wondered how these incredibly beautiful wood and stone structures were built, everytime we went camping in some state or national park. Now I know!

Where's my pick, hammer, axe, adze and saw? I can't wait to get started! This book has everything. I hope to be able to buy the rest of Albert H. Good's books on the subject. Fabulous.

As a professional designer and consultant to the resort development industry, I found this book very informative, with extensive photos and architectural illlustrations, plans and diagrams originating from the early 20th century. A valuable reference book for land planners, architects and developers looking to create "authentic" park and recreational structures for their communities, whether in the mountains or the prairie!

Excellent Book.

Bought this book about 5 years ago......going to build our new log home this summer 2011. Great food-for-thought with lots of great ideas for building a log home and rustic stuff on your property.

I thought this would be a book of instruction or patterns for creating rustic furniture. Not even close. It is a book about layouts and some architectural design for parks and campsites. I sold it to a man designing and building his own campground. He loved it.