Story

The primary purpose of the Fort Abercrombie Interpretive Center was to function as a public gallery to display artifacts of the area in a climate controlled environment.  The Center needed to provide a gift shop as an additional amenity for the facility as well as administrative areas, restrooms, janitorial, storage, and other basic support areas.  The low maintenance facility was designed by combining the overall historical concept and Owner requirements.  For the safety of the personnel and visitors, the open layout allows an individual employee to view all areas of building access.

The overall design concept of the Fort Abercrombie Interpretive Center stemmed from the original Block House lookouts of the historic fort.  The structure is a single story steel studded building with a mezzanine level.  The structure utilizes wood trusses, rafters and heavy timber posts/beams.  The exterior has a cedar shake roof, cedar siding, and brick wainscot.  It is a slab on grade with standard concrete footing and foundation.